Number one seeds South Africa and 2014 gold medallists France both kept cool heads in high temperatures in Senegal to claim a clean sweep of victories on an enthralling opening day of men\u2019s rugby sevens at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.<\/p>\n
After finishing top of their respective pools, South Africa will meet 2018 Olympic champions Argentina in the first semi-final, while France will take on Canada in the second to decide who will face off for gold at Complexe Iba Mar Diop.<\/p>\n
Germany, who finished third in Pool A behind South Africa and Canada, will face Uganda in the first of the placing play-off matches, while Pool B\u2019s third-placed side Japan will play host nation Senegal.<\/p>\n
Pool A: Unbeaten South Africa race to the semi-finals<\/p>\n
South Africa won all three of their matches on the opening day of the men\u2019s rugby sevens to qualify for Sunday\u2019s medal play-offs, ahead of Canada, Germany and host nation Senegal.<\/p>\n
Werner de Bruin got them off to the perfect start against Senegal, scoring out wide with just 30 seconds on the clock to set the tone for a match – the day’s first – that they controlled from first whistle to last. It was the first of the number one seeds\u2019 four first-half touchdowns en route to a seven-try 43-5 victory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the biggest cheer of the match came when Senegal hit back with a high-class score of their own, scored by Elhadj Mbengue, early in the second half.<\/p>\n
A brace for Darnell Delport then helped South Africa beat fellow medal-match qualifiers Canada in their second outing of the day, as they came back from 7-12 down at the break of a hard-fought encounter to win 24-17.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jonas Van Gilst\u2019s 90m solo effort was the scoring highlight as Canada scored three tries to Germany\u2019s two to win a hotly contested match 17-10, and claim three vital pool points, to their opponents one. Their Opening Ceremony flag bearer Adam Burnett then opened the scoring, and Will North weighed-in with a double in their final outing of the day as Canada put one foot in the medal semi-finals with a 40-0 win over hosts Senegal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Germany\u2019s 31-12 win over Senegal in their second outing of the day, however, meant they still had a chance to overtake Canada in the Pool A standings, if they could beat South Africa by more than seven points in their final pool match. But Jake Dave and Dandre Brink each scored two for the favourites as they 34-7 to complete a clean sweep of Pool A victories and ensure Canada joined them in the semi-final games on day two in Dakar.<\/p>\n
Pool B: Pool perfect France claim top spot<\/p>\n
Rugby sevens\u2019 two previous Youth Olympic Games\u2019 gold medalists, France and Argentina, had already qualified for the men\u2019s semi-finals when they met in the last match of the opening day \u2013 a re-run of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games final.<\/p>\n
Federico Kantz had opened the scoring for Argentina, becoming the first player to cross the French whitewash all day. But, after Gaspard Laharrague had reduced the lead with a try shortly before the break, Les Bleuets stretched away in the second half.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nathanael Senga Kouo, Pablo Garbajosa, and Matt Lefeuvre all scored as they eased to a clear 24-7 victory that ensured they finished top of Pool B.<\/p>\n
France – who won gold in 2014 and silver in 2018 – had been in a relentless mood all day. They scored eight unanswered tries to lay down a Pool B marker against Japan in their first match. Matt Lefeuvre scored twice as they recorded a statement 48-0 win over the bronze winners in Buenos Aires.<\/p>\n
Then Sacha Leroy and Doryan Petitgenet both scored hat-tricks in an exhibition of attacking French rugby against a Uganda side that never gave up the chase, despite conceding 10 tries in a 58-0 defeat.<\/p>\n
Argentina, meanwhile, had kicked off their challenge with a 49-0 win over late tournament entrants Uganda. A straight-up-the-middle 85m effort from Federico Kantz and try doubles for Santiago Martos Rodriguez and Felipe Ledesma were the high points of a thoroughly impressive performance.<\/p>\n
Then, Gonzalo Cairo scored three of Argentina\u2019s five tries as they set up that blockbuster Pool B decider against France with a 31-5 win over Japan \u2013 who went on to round out their first day\u2019s action on a positive note with a 41-7 win over a brave and determined Uganda side.<\/p>\n