HSBC SVNS Singapore: Great Britain risk sevens series survival clash with Hong Kong after mixed opening day, Michael Hooper off mark for Aussies
- Ireland’s men must beat Fiji on Saturday to guarantee quarter-final berth, as they chase Argentina at top of series standings
- New Zealand and Australia women enjoy perfect opening days in pursuit of league leaders’ prize, USA suffer twin blow
Great Britain men’s hopes of avoiding a shoot-out to preserve their elite HSBC SVNS Series status were severely dented on a topsy-turvy opening day of the Singapore Sevens.
The Britons were beaten 19-5 by Ireland in their opening Pool C fixture, but retain hope of progressing to the quarter-finals after stunning Olympic champions Fiji 19-14 in their second match.
They were done no favours by results elsewhere in the pool, however. USA, the only team within reach of ninth-placed GB in the overall standings, thumped the out-of-sorts Fijians 33-14, then beat Ireland 10-7 in a gripping evening contest.
Michael Hooper, the Australian 15s superstar, scored his first sevens try since switching codes last month, as his team followed a 26-19 win over Argentina with a 21-14 success against Canada.
The Singapore event, which began on Friday, is the seventh and final world series leg. A grand finals event in Madrid later this month will see the top eight teams compete for the overall championship. Those in the bottom four are condemned to a playoff with the leading four nations from the Challenger Series, with four spots in next season’s global series on offer.
Hong Kong are vying for one of those leading four positions in the second-tier competition, and could feasibly find themselves fighting with GB for world series status.
