THE Fiji 7s team, on standings in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series points, on paper prior to Paris 7s kick-off today, has lost its grip on the series title.
This is because South Africa is leading after the Singapore 7s with 157 points.
Fiji is second on 132 —— a difference of 25 points. Even if the Vodafone Fiji 7s team, in its final assault to try and stop the Africans, the title will still slip from our grip.
And without wasting time, Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor said preparation for the next season would start in France this weekend.
“It is time for us to rebuild,” O’Connor said.
“South Africa has taken the title. The only way to stop South Africa is if they do not go into the quater-finals of both tournaments which will be hard.”
With the Paris 7s winner getting 22 points as in all tournaments in the series, and if it goes the Blitzboks’ favour, they total 179 which will win them the series. If Fiji wins in France and gets 22 points, we score 154 points – three less than South Africa’s current lead. Denying Neil Powell’s men entry into the Cup quarter-finals would be hard.
It is the in-form team of the season, predicted in the Sydney 7s by former Fiji coach Ben Ryan that it will be champs this season. Ryan was right.
The green machine has also been boosted with the return of one of the best speedsters of the series, Rosko Specman, who will play his 100th match in Paris this weekend.
South Africa just needs to qualify for Paris and London quarter-finals to be abreast of the rest and win.
Fiji plays Samoa first at 8pm and Russia at 11.26pm today, and Australia at 3.14am tomorrow.
Rugby pundits predict Fiji could play South Africa, Canada or Scotland in the quarter-finals.
The Cup final is scheduled for 3.30am on Monday.
World Rugby Sevens Series points:
* Cup winner (1st place): 22 points
* Cup runner-up (2nd place): 19 points
* Cup third-place play-off winner (3rd place): 17 points
* Cup third-place play-off loser (4th place): 15 points
* Plate winner (5th place): 13 points
* Plate runner-up (6th place): 12 points
* Losing Plate semi-finalists (joint 7th place): 10 points
* Bowl winner (9th place): 8 points
* Bowl runner-up (10th place): 7 points
* Losing Bowl semi-finalists (joint 11th place): 5 points
* Shield winner (13th place): 3 points
* Shield runner-up (14th place): 2 points
· Losing Shield semi-finalists (joint 15th place): 1 point
