The Pumas defeated Team GB men 17-12
Argentina win bronze medal at Olympic Men’s Sevens
Argentina edged out Great Britain’s men in the third-place match at the Olympic Men’s Sevens, with the South American’s taking the bronze medal.
It’s heartbreak for GB, who scrapped like hell to make it to this stage, but Argentina are one of the most dogged teams in the world game.
GB’s Ben Harris scored the opening try after Dan Norton made a probing dart and skipper Dan Bibby took an awkward ball in midfield and worked it wide. Bibby was acting as skipper after an injury to team captain Tom Mitchell failed to recover from an injury sustained in the quarter-finals against the USA.
We are desperately disappointed right now. But we also know we have done something incredibly special. Coming this far is testament to the people involved in the journey. I hope for future 7s players in Britain there is a programme fit for the passion of these types of people
— Tom Mitchell (@TBobbyMitchell) July 28, 2021
Related: Olympic Men’s Sevens results
The Pumas came back though, and after Lautaro Bazan Velez was able to capitalise out wide, the Argentinians made use of a spilled ball – and although there were suspicions of a forward pass in the build up, it was worked to the exciting young Marcos Moneta.
Moneta was the star of the win over South Africa in the quarters, when the team harnessed their emotional energy after a red card for their talisman Gaston Revol. He burned of Blitzboks defenders for one searing score, and wrong-footed defenders with a chip ahead to score another in that one. Here, in the bronze medal final, he took the ball at a breakdown, dummied, stepped and went over untouched.
Marcos Moneta is only 21 and that's slightly terrifying. #Tokyo2020
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) July 28, 2021
At half-time it was 12-5 to the South Americans.
But Team GB started the second as they did the first and after sustained pressure they turned over Argentina, a sniff from their own line. It was worked wide, Harris spun from contact and Ollie Lindsay-Hague went over.
It was noticeable that Argentina were keeping the play tight, and they replied instantly, with Ignacio Mendy went long to score in the corner. The conversion was missed, making it 17-12 with under two minutes to go, and the Pumas managed to hold on to their scant lead and take the bronze medal.
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