By Mitch Phillips
PARIS (Reuters) – Evergreen winger Perry Baker scored four tries as the United States beat Uruguay 33-7 on Thursday to secure an Olympic rugby sevens quarter-final against Australia, who beat Argentina 22-14 to top their pool.
Double defending champions Fiji beat France 19-12, with both sides already through. Fiji will play Ireland later on Thursday and the hosts will take on Argentina, which is likely to be a lively affair after the Argentines have been regularly booed by French fans in the wake of a video showing some Argentine international footballers singing a racist song about the French team.
Tokyo silver medallists New Zealand fought back to beat Ireland, earning a quarter-final against South Africa.
The U.S. trailed early against Uruguay but went ahead through Baker’s second try just before halftime.
They stretched that lead immediately after the restart with a Lucas Lacamp long-range effort.
Baker, twice world sevens player of the year and appearing in his third Olympics, then got his third, before belying his 38 years with a lung-busting 70-metre run for his fourth at the death, helping send the U.S. through as one of two best third-placed teams.
Fiji look to have hit their form at just the right time after struggling early in the season and they were impressive in beating beat France 19-12 to top Pool C, though the hosts were also already guaranteed progress after their win and draw on Wednesday.
Aaron Grandidier Nkanang had the fans roaring with France’s first try but some typically ambitious handling set up Fiji’s Jerry Tuwai to make it 5-5 at halftime.
Kaminieli Rasaku then danced through two tackles to put Fiji ahead and they virtually monopolised the ball from then on and scored their third through Joji Nasova.
The massive crowd in the Stade de France had to wait until the final four minutes for their first view of Antoine Dupont, but the superstar scrumhalf was unable to influence the outcome, as Andy Timo’s last-play score made little difference.
Argentina and Australia, who secured their quarter-final places on Wednesday, met to decide top spot in Pool B and tries by Henry Hutchison and Ben Dowling had Australia 10-7 up at halftime. Dietrich Roache stretched the lead to 15-7, but Matias Osadczuk brought Argentina to within a point before Nick Malouf made sure with a fourth try, with Roache converting after missing his first three attempts.
Samoa beat Kenya 26-0 to briefly lift their hopes of progress but they were shunted out of the final last-eight slot when South Africa, who qualified for the Games by winning the final repechage slot last month, thrashed Japan 49-5.
Ireland, who only really started taking sevens seriously this season, made most of the running against New Zealand but Ngarohi McGarvey-Black’s late try, converted from wide out by Andrew Knewstubb, snatched the win.
After Thursday evening’s quarter-finals the event takes a day’s break before the medals are decided on Saturday.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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