Rugby sevens stats and analysis
Don’t forget the referee, Craig Joubert.
Why this game?
The opening Olympic match for both the USA and Argentina.
Narrative
Argentina and the USA finished fifth and sixth in the 2015-2016 World Series, only separated by two points. They split their two matches in the season 1-1. Considering both teams are likely to beat Brazil and lose to Fiji, this match is crucial to advancing to the Olympic quarter-finals.
Why this game?
This was the USA’s lone win against Fiji during the 2015-2016 circuit as Fiji went 4-1 with wins by 10, 9, 7 and 5. Pool mates in Rio, I’m curious what to expect when they match up on August 10th.
Narrative
As the third-place match in London, this was the last game of the season for both teams. The Americans dropped a disappointing semi-final to Scotland after thrashing New Zealand in the quarters. Fiji clinched the series in their quarter-final win over France before losing to South Africa by 5 in their semi-final. Fiji seemingly had little motivation for the game and confirmed this by turning over the first three kickoffs.