Search icon

Rugby

12th Aug 2016

Fiji win their first Olympic medal by battering Team GB and rugby stars everywhere loved it

Mikey Stafford

There was a point at which British Sevens fans should have got worried.

They were impressive in their semi-final win over South Africa and had every right to come into the gold medal match against Fiji with a degree of confidence.

Okay, Fiji are the off-loading, hard-running, side-stepping kings of broken field rugby and, therefore, built for the new Olympic sport of Rugby Sevens. Having already earned their first medal in any sport, the Pacific Islanders just had to determine the colour.

But Britain had been good in the tournament and had to fancy their chances. Then this happened.

https://twitter.com/CliveWoodward/status/763807859654139904

The World Cup winning coach was on commentary duty in Rio with the BBC and his hyperbolic, over-cooked description of the gold medal match did not auger well.

Sure enough Fiji beat the living snot out of Team GB, running in five tries in the first half alone as they ran out convincing 43-7 winners to claim the first gold medal in their country’s history.

Everyone was delighted for the Fijians, who have won the last two World Sevens Series and are quite clearly the best exponents of the sport on the planet.

Rugby players past, present, Irish, English, Welsh, Scottish, Australian and Kiwi were united in their joy for the Fijians.

Even Sir Clive managed to congratulate the men who had spoiled the biggest night in the history of rugby ever.

https://twitter.com/CliveWoodward/status/763874984922058752

However there was no word on whether these lads had their smiles turned upside down by the defeat.

But, predictably, amid the euphoric Fijian fans there were a few Irish lads enjoying themselves. Aren’t there always?

Exclusive interview with Paraic Duffy on the latest GAA Hour. Subscribe here on iTunes

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10