The All Black Sevens have suffered their first-ever loss to France at the Hong Kong leg of the World Series after being shocked 14-12 inside the region-finals. Kurt Baker scored the first try for the Kiwis; however, the French hit lower back through Cavite Veredamu and Gabin Villiers’ concerted efforts. Andrew Knewstubb controlled to get Clark Laidlaw’s aspect back inside hanging distance within the 2nd half, but they couldn’t capitalize on some mistakes by way of the French outfit, who held on for a famous victory.
“We performed like a team, played thoroughly together,” said Manoel Dall Igna of France, who have never reached the very last in Hong Kong. New Zealand on Saturday defeated Australia (40-19) and Kenya (36-zero) in Pool C; however, it misplaced Fiji. It’s the second time in as many World Series tournaments that the All Blacks have failed to make the semifinals. Laidlaw’s guys controlled a 17-10 win within the 5th-area semi-final towards England and were set to face Argentina in the very last at 10 pm (NZT).
Cape Town – World Rugby has reportedly given its Six Nations and Rugby Championship member unions an extra week to bear in mind the Nations Championship idea. According to BBC Sport, World Rugby had set a closing date of Friday for formal expressions of the hobby from the unions. But it’s miles understood this will now not be enforced so greater discussions can take the region. Scheduled to launch in 2022, the Nations Championship could see a top department of 12 teams from each hemisphere play every different once in a calendar 12 months, both via traditional competitions just like the Six Nations or an enlarged Rugby Championship, or in summer or autumn Test windows.
The pinnacle two teams might then meet in an end-of-yr showpiece very last.
The Daily Mail reviews that a hard deadline of May 21 – the date of World Rugby’s next council assembly – has been set for plans to be universally ratified. Should the unions still no longer comply with the plans by using then, the concept could fall thru totally. There are also talks that the Nations Championship would be underpinned through a second division made of modern tier-two countries, who would accept the danger of merchandising towards the Nations Championship’s bottom-placed crew.
