France win Paris Sevens

France defied the odds by collecting their maiden IRB Sevens title courtesy of emphatic 28-19 victory over Fiji in the final of the Paris Sevens on Saturday.

Paris Match: Johouer evades the attentions of the Australians

The host impressed from start to finish and performances of quality permeated throughout the side on both days.

Test star Vincent Clerc addition injected some pace into proceedings, but it was the regulars Laurent Ferreres, Rida Jahouer and Julien Malzieu who on this occasion proved title-winners.

France, playing in their first ever IRB Sevens final, went 14-0 up in quick time through the impressive Jahouer and Malzieu. Fiji's NeumiNanuku pulled one back before the master Waisale Serevi and Kameli Ratuvou put the islanders 19-14 ahead at half time.

The crowd responded with partisan encouragement and the inspired Ferreres scored under the posts shortly after the break to put the French 21-19 up and signal a period of sustained French pressure which might have yielded more points had it not been for some outstanding Fijian defence.

But France were rewarded when more good work from Ferreres lead to a try from Patrick Bosque for a 28-19 lead, which even Fiji's best efforts could not diminish.

 France had earlier defied the odds at their home IRB Sevens tournament by making it through to their very first final, beating New Zealand in the semi final 14-12. Tries for Vincent Clerc and Rida Jahouer took the French out to a 14-0 lead and they held on in the face of a strong NZ comeback. Amasio Valance and Hayden Reid both touched down, but the 2004/05 IRB Sevens champions fell a conversion short of tying things up fully.

Fiji had booked their place in the final courtesy of a 29-7 win over Samoa, Nanuku and two-try Rupeni Koroi again inspirational in firing the Rugby World Cup Sevens winners to their third IRB Sevens final of the season.

 Earlier, the French had also proved too strong for an injury-hit South Africa in running out 27-10 winners, Vincent Deniau providing much of the forward motion for Janeczek's side, while New Zealand had come from behind to beat Scotland 29-7 in the first quarter final. Samoa had accounted for England in the fourth quarter final, David Lemi inspiring them to a 21-14 victory against a below par England performance.

Later, England were beaten for the second time in two weeks by South Africa in a dramatic conclusion to the Plate final.

Danwell Demas’s brilliant last-minute try won the game for the Springboks – a repeat of the Twickenham final match-up at the London Sevens – after England had fought back to level the scores with two tries from Rob Thirlby and one from Richard Haughton.

And England’s defeat means they will finish third in the overall IRB Sevens Series behind New Zealand and Fiji, with the latter overtaking them by virtue of reaching the final of the main competition at the Stade Jean Bouin.

DAY TWO - RESULTS:

Quarter-Final Bowl: Italy 21-7 Canada  
Quarter-Final Bowl: Argentina 33-19 Tunisia  
Quarter-Final Bowl: Georgia 24-5 Russia 
Quarter-Final Bowl: Portugal 24-10 Kenya 

Quarter-Final Cup: New Zealand 29-7 Scotland 
Quarter-Final Cup: France 27-10 South Africa 
Quarter-Final Cup: Fiji 49-5 Australia 
Quarter-Final Cup: England 14-21 Samoa 

Semi-Final Shield: Canada 17-0 Tunisia 
Semi-Final Shield: Russia 24-12 Kenya 

Semi-Final Bowl: Italy 0-29 Argentina 
Semi-Final Bowl: Georgia 25-0 Portugal 

Semi-Final Plate: Scotland 17-26 South Africa 
Semi-Final Plate: Australia 0-24 England 

Semi-Final Cup: New Zealand 12-14 France 
Semi-Final Cup: Fiji 29-7 Samoa 

Shield Final: Canada 33-21 Russia 

Bowl Final: Argentina 26-10 Georgia 

Plate Final: South Africa 26-19 England 

Cup Final: France 28-19 Fiji

DAY ONE - RESULTS:

POOL A
(New Zealand, Samoa, Kenya, Italy)
New Zealand 38-10 Kenya  
Samoa 28-12 Italy  
New Zealand 45-14 Italy  
Samoa 38-0 Kenya
Kenya 5-21 Italy  
New Zealand 22-17 Samoa

POOL B
(England, Scotland, Canada, Portugal)
England 42-5 Canada 
Scotland 29-0 Portugal 
England 29-0 Portugal 
Scotland 15-7 Canada  
Canada 7-19 Portugal 
England 26-5 Scotland

POOL C
(Fiji, South Africa, Tunisia, Georgia)
Fiji 24-7 Tunisia 
South Africa 40-10 Georgia 
Fiji 35-0 Georgia 
South Africa 24-5 Tunisia 
Tunisia 5-27 Georgia
Fiji 24-19 South Africa

POOL D
(Argentina, Australia, France, Russia)
Argentina 12-26 France 
Australia 45-0 Russia 
Argentina 41-5 Russia 
Australia 19-14 France 
France 54-7 Russia 
Argentina 26-14 Australia