1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens

1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens

1997年橄欖球七人欖球賽
Tournament details
Host nation	British Hong Kong
Dates	21 March – 23 March
No. of nations	24
Final positions
Champions	Fiji
Runner-up	South Africa
Tournament statistics
Top scorer(s)	Waisale Serevi   Fiji (117 pts) Marika Vunibaka   Fiji (12 tries)
← 1993 2001 →

The 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament and the first to be held in Hong Kong. It was the last major sporting event to be held in the then British dependency before the transfer of sovereignty to China which took place just three months later. Fiji defeated South Africa 24–21 to take the title for the first time. ^[1] The final is considered to be one of the best sevens matches of all time.^{[ citation needed ]}

Participating nations

Main article: 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens qualifying

The twenty four teams were divided into eight pools of three as follows:

Pool A   England   Canada   Zimbabwe

Pool B   Romania   Australia   Scotland

Pool C   New Zealand   Japan   Tonga

Pool D   Fiji   Portugal   Hong Kong

Pool E   France   United States   South Korea

Pool F   Spain   Cook Islands   Morocco

Pool G   Ireland   Argentina   South Africa

Pool H   Namibia   Samoa   Wales

Squads

Main article: 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens squads

Day 1 results

Pool A

21 March 1997 13:00 POOL A

England	33 – 12	Canada

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 15:41 POOL A

Zimbabwe	42 – 7	Canada

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 18:51 POOL A

England	26 – 7	Zimbabwe

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool B

21 March 1997 13:20 POOL B

Australia	19 – 19	Scotland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 16:03 POOL B

Romania	14 – 26	Scotland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 19:10 POOL B

Australia	38 – 7	Romania

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool C

21 March 1997 13:40 POOL C

New Zealand	47 – 14	Japan

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 16:21 POOL C

Tonga	35 – 7	Japan

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 19:30 POOL C

New Zealand	21 – 7	Tonga

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool D

21 March 1997 14:00 POOL D

Fiji	59 – 0	Portugal

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 16:40 POOL D

Hong Kong	33 – 12	Portugal

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 19:50 POOL D

Fiji	45 – 0	Hong Kong

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool E

21 March 1997 14:20 POOL E

France	35 – 5	United States

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 17:00 POOL E

South Korea	7 – 33	United States

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 20:10 POOL E

France	38 – 5	South Korea

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool F

21 March 1997 14:40 POOL F

Spain	26 – 5	Morocco

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 17:19 POOL F

Cook Islands	31 – 17	Morocco

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 20:30 POOL F

Spain	31 – 12	Cook Islands

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool G

21 March 1997 15:00 POOL G

South Africa	45 – 7	Argentina

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 17:40 POOL G

Ireland	22 – 31	Argentina

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 20:50 POOL G

South Africa	38 – 5	Ireland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool H

21 March 1997 15:20 POOL H

Western Samoa	48 – 5	Namibia

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 18:32 POOL H

Wales	12 – 12	Namibia

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

21 March 1997 21:10 POOL H

Western Samoa	26 – 24	Wales

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Seedings after Day 1

Seed	Day 2 Pool	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	A2	Fiji	2	2	0	0	104	0	+104	6
2	B2	South Africa	2	2	0	0	83	12	+71	6
3	C2	Western Samoa	2	2	0	0	74	29	+45	6
4	D2	France	2	2	0	0	73	10	+63	6
5	E2	New Zealand	2	2	0	0	68	21	+47	6
6	F2	England	2	2	0	0	59	19	+40	6
7	G2	Spain	2	2	0	0	57	17	+40	6
8	H2	Australia	2	1	1	0	57	26	+31	5
9	H2	Scotland	2	1	1	0	45	33	+12	5
10	G2	Zimbabwe	2	1	0	1	49	33	+16	4
11	F2	Cook Islands	2	1	0	1	43	48	−5	4
12	E2	Tonga	2	1	0	1	42	28	+14	4
13	D2	United States	2	1	0	1	38	42	−4	4
14	C2	Argentina	2	1	0	1	38	67	−29	4
15	B2	Hong Kong	2	1	0	1	33	57	−24	4
16	A2	Wales	2	0	1	1	36	38	−2	3
17	A2	Namibia	2	0	1	1	17	60	−43	3
18	B2	Ireland	2	0	0	2	27	69	−42	2
19	C2	Morocco	2	0	0	2	22	57	−35	2
20	D2	Romania	2	0	0	2	21	64	−43	2
21	E2	Japan	2	0	0	2	21	82	−61	2
22	F2	Canada	2	0	0	2	19	75	−56	2
23	G2	South Korea	2	0	0	2	12	71	−59	2
24	H2	Portugal	2	0	0	2	12	92	−80	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Day 2 results

Key to colours in group tables
Team that progressed to the Cup Quarter-finals
Team that progressed to the Plate Quarter-finals
Team that progressed to the Bowl Quarter-finals

All times Hong Kong time (UTC+1)

Pool A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Fiji	2	2	0	0	101	0	+101	6
2	Wales	2	1	0	1	40	40	0	4
3	Namibia	2	0	0	2	5	106	−101	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 10:59

Fiji	66 – 0	Namibia

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 13:40

Wales	40 – 5	Namibia

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 16:19

Fiji	35 – 0	Wales

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	South Africa	2	2	0	0	63	12	+51	6
2	Hong Kong	2	1	0	1	31	34	−3	4
3	Ireland	2	0	0	2	12	60	−48	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 11:19

South Africa	34 – 7	Ireland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 13:59

Hong Kong	26 – 5	Ireland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 16:39

South Africa	29 – 5	Hong Kong

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Western Samoa	2	2	0	0	70	12	+58	6
2	Argentina	2	1	0	1	45	35	+10	4
3	Morocco	2	0	0	2	7	75	−68	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 11:39

Western Samoa	42 – 0	Morocco

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 14:19

Argentina	33 – 7	Morocco

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 16:58

Western Samoa	28 – 12	Argentina

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	France	2	2	0	0	73	7	+66	6
2	Romania	2	1	0	1	17	45	−28	4
3	United States	2	0	0	2	19	57	−38	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 12:00

France	33 – 0	Romania

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 14:38

United States	12 – 17	Romania

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 17:19

France	40 – 7	United States

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool E

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	New Zealand	2	2	0	0	78	5	+73	6
2	Tonga	2	1	0	1	40	57	−17	4
3	Japan	2	0	0	2	26	82	−56	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 12:19

New Zealand	47 – 0	Japan

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 14:59

Tonga	35 – 26	Japan

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 17:41

New Zealand	31 – 5	Tonga

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool F

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	England	2	2	0	0	59	17	+42	6
2	Cook Islands	2	1	0	1	15	29	−14	4
3	Canada	2	0	0	2	7	35	−28	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 12:38

England	30 – 7	Canada

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 15:20

Cook Islands	5 – 0	Canada

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 18:00

England	29 – 10	Cook Islands

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool G

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	South Korea	2	1	1	0	33	22	+11	5
2	Spain	2	1	1	0	31	24	+7	5
3	Zimbabwe	2	0	0	2	22	40	−18	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 12:59

Spain	12 – 12	South Korea

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 15:39

Zimbabwe	10 – 21	South Korea

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 18:19

Spain	19 – 12	Zimbabwe

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Pool H

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Australia	2	2	0	0	57	26	+31	6
2	Scotland	2	1	0	1	47	38	+9	4
3	Portugal	2	0	0	2	14	54	−40	2

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

22 March 1997 13:19

Australia	26 – 7	Portugal

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 15:59

Scotland	28 – 7	Portugal

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

22 March 1997 18:38

Australia	31 – 19	Scotland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Day 3 - Knockout results

Bowl

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Japan	24
					23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Namibia	22
					Japan	24
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
					Ireland	22
	Portugal	5
									23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Ireland	33
									Japan	28
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
									United States	40
	United States	24
					23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Canada	21
					United States	24
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
					Morocco	0
	Zimbabwe	12
	Morocco	19

Quarter-finals

23 March 1997 10:00

Japan	24 – 22	Namibia

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 10:22

Portugal	5 – 33	Ireland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 10:42

United States	24 – 21	Canada

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 11:02

Zimbabwe	12 – 19	Morocco

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Semi-finals

23 March 1997 14:52

Japan	24 – 22	Ireland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 15:12

United States	24 – 0	Morocco

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Final

23 March 1997 16:51

Japan	28 – 40	United States

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Plate

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Spain	0
					23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Cook Islands	36
					Cook Islands	10
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
					Tonga	43
	Wales	12
									23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Tonga	26
									Tonga	40
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
									Hong Kong	19
	Argentina	2
					23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
	Hong Kong	26
					Hong Kong	43
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
					Scotland	7
	Scotland	43
	Romania	19

Quarter-finals

23 March 1997 11:21

Spain	0 – 36	Cook Islands

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 11:40

Wales	12 – 26	Tonga

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 12:00

Argentina	2 – 26	Hong Kong

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 12:20

Scotland	43 – 19	Romania

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Semi-finals

23 March 1997 15:30

Cook Islands	10 – 43	Tonga

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

23 March 1997 15:51

Hong Kong	43 – 7	Scotland

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Final

23 March 1997 17:25

Tonga	40 – 19	Hong Kong

Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong

---

Cup

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
	Fiji	56
					23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
	South Korea	0
					Fiji	38
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
					Western Samoa	14
	England	5
									23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
	Western Samoa	21
									Fiji	24
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
									South Africa	21
	South Africa	19
					23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
	France	14
					South Africa	31
	23 May – Hong Kong Stadium
					New Zealand	7
	New Zealand	40
	Australia	12

Quarter-finals

23 March 1997 13:33

Fiji	56 – 0	South Korea

Hong Kong Stadium

---

23 March 1997 13:54

England	5 – 21	Western Samoa

Hong Kong Stadium

---

23 March 1997 14:14

South Africa	19 – 14	France

Hong Kong Stadium

---

23 March 1997 14:32

New Zealand	40 – 12	Australia

Hong Kong Stadium

---

Semi-finals

23 March 1997 16:11

Fiji	38 – 14	Western Samoa

Hong Kong Stadium

---

23 March 1997 16:32

South Africa	31 – 7	New Zealand

Hong Kong Stadium

---

Final

23 March 1997 18:00

Fiji	24 – 21	South Africa

Hong Kong Stadium

---

1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens champions
Fiji First title

See also

• Rugby World Cup Sevens
• Rugby World Cup

References

1. Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN   0-7472-7732-X.

External links

External videos
1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens final: South Africa v Fiji on YouTube

• RWC Sevens 1997
• Rugby Union: Wales are denied by last-gasp try - The Independent