Tokyo 2020 - Team GB’s men fall short of Olympic rugby sevens bronze with defeat to Argentina, Fiji retain title

ByRichard Newman

Updated 28/07/2021 at 10:08 GMT

Having won silver at Rio 2016, Team GB were unable to follow that up with another medal in Japan. Britain went a try up inside the first minute, but Argentina levelled up with three minutes of the first half left and never relinquished their advantage. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.

Team GB's men missed out on an Olympic medal in the rugby sevens with a 17-12 defeat to Argentina in the bronze medal match at Tokyo 2020, as Fiji retained their title with a 27-12 victory over New Zealand.

After a turbulent year, in which their funding was cut by the Rugby Football Union last summer and reinstated around Christmas via a combination of providers, they were unable to follow up on their silver at Rio 2016.

Ben Harris had got Britain off to a storming start with a try inside the first minutes, but Argentina levelled and never went behind again, eventually securing a first Olympic rugby medal.

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Both teams were weak in converting their tries, but once Lautaro Bazan Velez made it 5-5, they never looked back. Marcos Monteta, so influential in their stunning six-man win over South Africa, scored just before the break to make it 12-5 at half-time.

Oliver Lindsay-Hague levelled the match with four minutes to go for Team GB, but with two and a half minutes left, Igancio Mendy broke away to score what turned out to be the game-winning try.

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But it ended a difficult cycle for the men's team, who were only able to get back up and running when the RFU, Scottish Rugby Union, Welsh Rugby Union and the National Lottery struck a partnership late last year. Their long-term future is unclear, and the women's team begin their campaign on Thursday.

Fiji's win sparked emotional celebrations

Image credit: Getty Images

Fiji denied the All Blacks Sevens a sought after gold with another devastating attacking demonstration, racing to a 19-5 lead before New Zealand pegged the reigning champions back by reducing the deficit to 19-12 by half-time.

The second-half was hard fought, but Fiji put the game to bed with two minutes to play when Asaeli Tuivuaka went over to secure gold.

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