It always looked like a feat of Olympic proportions would be required for Ireland to beat the most successful men’s sevens team of all time in Olympic history.
And while they gave themselves a shot, so it proved beyond Ireland tonight.
Fiji came from behind to beat Ireland 19-15 in tonight’s quarter-final at the Stade de France.
Today's News in 90 seconds - 26th July 2024
Fiji – who remain unbeaten through three Olympic Games – will roll on in their bid to win gold at a third successive Olympics in Saturday’s medal matches. Ireland’s dream of a medal comes to an end.
Like the 14-12 pool defeat to New Zealand earlier in the day, Ireland had given themselves a chance of pulling off an upset. Two tries from Chay Mullins and another from Zac Ward had the Irish fans in the Stade de France dreaming of a possible semi-final place as they led 15-7 in the second half.
But unlike the trend of upsets on a night when South Africa beat favourites New Zealand and the hosts France overcame the more fancied Argentina, a giant-killing proved elusive to Ireland in the end.
The defending champions lived up to their Flying Fijians reputation when Iosefo Baleiwairiki scorched through to score their opening try after just 30 seconds. However, Ireland delivered the perfect response minutes later. Mullins scored the opening try for Ireland and he added a second just before half-time to put them 10-7 in front. Could they go on to close the deal this time?
It looked like it when Ward stretched in at the corner to score Ireland’s third try. But Fiji fought back; they were never going to give up their crown easily. Joji Nasova scored Fiji’s second to close Ireland’s advantage to 15-12. It was all set up for a grandstand finish.
And then came a controversial winner as Waisea Nacuqu gathered a bouncing ball from the restart to score – although it looked like Fiji knocked the ball on in the lead up. It was the Olympic champions who closed it out from there.
"We definitely had the winning of that game but it wasn't them beating us, it was us just giving a loose ball away here or there and just allowing them to attack and score with their opportunities really quickly,” captain Harry McNulty said following the Fiji defeat.
"If you're going to lose a game it's because a team has out-worked you or forced you through a tonne of phases, that you're out on your feet, not something that takes place without a ruck taking place.
"Those can be annoying but that's the way that they play and we have to make sure we can stop it.
"Disappointing in that way, but we can take a lot of confidence from the fact that we're pushing Fiji and New Zealand to within a score, the two best teams to ever play Rugby Sevens, and there's so much more that this team can give.
"I just told the players I don't think there's any better team that I've played with than this group of guys, we have the capabilities of playing the best in the world.”
Ireland will have regrets, like they would have had from their defeat to New Zealand earlier in the day. Ireland played like they had New Zealand’s number and produced their best rugby of the Olympics. Tries from the impressive Ward and Jordan Conroy set Ireland up for a 12-0 half-time lead but Ireland failed to score again in the second half with mistakes letting New Zealand get a foothold.
A five-pointer from Leroy Carter and late try from Ngarohi McGarvey-Black as well as the conversion from Andrew Knewstubb nipped a two-point win. And maybe that was really where paradise was lost for this Irish team at these Olympics.
So no medal matches for Ireland on Saturday, instead they will fight it out for the more minor placings. They will finish higher than their 10th place at Tokyo three years ago but the regrets of what could have been in their fight against Fiji and their battle with New Zealand will linger.
Ireland: H McNulty, M Roche, Z Ward, J Conroy, T Kennedy, G Mullin, Niall Comerford. Replacements: J Kelly, A Smith, C Mullins, H Keenan, H Lennox.
Fiji: J Talacolo, I Baleiwairiki, J Tuwai, I Teba, K Rasaku, S Ravutaumada, R Josaia, Replacements: J Nasova, J Matana, T Veilawa, W Nacuqu, F Sauturaga
Referee: N Hogan (NZL)
