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New Zealand seal Paris berth with Singapore Sevens win / Photo: © AFP
New Zealand seal Paris berth with Singapore Sevens win
New Zealand booked their place at next year's Olympic Games and took a huge step towards winning this season's World Rugby Sevens Series after a hard-fought 19-17 victory over Argentina in Singapore on Sunday.
With stops in Toulouse and London still to come, the All Blacks Sevens lead the series table with 164 points and are assured of a top-four finish.
Argentina are second with 140 points and Fiji are third on 130, both sides looking likely to qualify for Paris.
In the final at the National Stadium, New Zealand raced into a 12-point lead with tries by Dylan Collier and Moses Leo.
Argentina responded, with Joaquin Pellandini going over in the corner late in the first half and German Schulz narrowing the deficit to two points just after the interval.
However, Brady Rush put New Zealand nine points up with a powerful run from his own 22.
His side clung on for victory despite Argentina cutting into the lead late on with a converted try by Marcos Moneta.
It was New Zealand's fourth title this season after earlier victories in Sydney, Los Angeles and Hong Kong.
Their sixth sevens series final this season came after a 22-10 win over Great Britain in the quarter-finals and a 19-10 dethroning of defending Singapore Sevens champions Fiji in the last four.
Argentina had overpowered Australia 29-12 in the quarter-finals before edging a dramatic semi-final against Samoa 24-19, with Moneta crossing over for the winning try in extra time.
The bronze medal went to Fiji, who avenged a pool loss to Samoa by coming from 12 points down to beat their South Pacific rivals 24-19.
In the lesser finals Sunday, Australia finished fifth after a 24-21 win over Great Britain while Spain were ninth and USA claimed 13th place.
France, who are fourth in the series standings, qualify automatically for the Olympics as hosts, so the battle for the final automatic spot in Paris is tight with Australia (112) and Samoa (111) separated by a single point.
N. Lebedew--BTZ
