Road to Paris: Rugby Sevens kickstarts Paris Olympics

It’s time! The 2024 Paris Olympics have arrived, kicking off with the football and rugby sevens competitions on Thursday (NZT) and archery and handball on Friday (NZT) - meaning these sports will be played before the opening ceremony on Saturday morning.

Two nations from Team Pacific will feature in the rugby sevens tomorrow morning. Samoa faces Australia in the opening match at Stade De France 130am (NZT), while the two-time gold medalists Fiji will face Uruguay at 3am (NZT).

Samoa Sevens

Samoa’s best will gear up for their nation in the Sevens against Australia tomorrow morning, for the first match in Pool B.

Team Manu Samoa Sevens. Photo/Rugby Samoa.

Samoa is in Qualifier Pool B, which also includes Kenya, Spain and Chile.

Vaafauese Apelu Maliko, a key player known for scoring many tries, is back in the team. This is good news, as the team has struggled with injuries and needs his skills to do well this weekend.

Also returning are Motu Opetai, Taunuu Niulevaea, and Neueli Leitufia, who have recovered from injuries they got in Hong Kong. Elisapeta Alofipo is also back after taking time off for his wedding. Vaovasa Afa Su'a, Paul Scanlan, Levi Milford, and BJ Telefoni Lim are in the lineup as well.

The Samoa’s squad have been preparing in Divonne-les Bains in France for their pre-Games training camp. And if previous form is anything to go by, the last time Samoa and Australia met, Samoa won comfortably 31 - 7 at the Canada Sevens.

Australia Sevens

Fijian Mark Nawaqanitawase will be the only Pacific player in Australia's team that takes on Samoa. The 23-year-old is looking to end his rugby union stint with an Olympic medal as he makes his return to the sevens rugby programme in Paris.

Rugby Australia says the Waratahs’ part-Fijian winger will conclude his time in rugby at the Paris Olympics, before he joins NRL club Sydney Roosters.

The player made his debut against Italy two years ago and played every match at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Nawaqanitawake says he is “excited” about playing at the Olympics.

PMN's Olympics coverage is proudly brought to you by the Pasifika Medical Association Group.

Find the full schedule of our Pacific athletes here

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