HUGO KEENAN has backed Ireland to bounce back and hand Fiji their first defeat at an Olympics Games.
Ireland were 12-0 up at half-time but lost 14-12 to New Zealand in their final group game.
And – although they had already booked their place in the knockout stages – it has consequences.
Instead of playing South Africa – whom they had already beaten 10-5 in Pool A – in the quarter-finals, they will face Fiji.
The Pacific Islanders have won all 15 matches they have played since the sport was introduced to the Olympics for the Rio Games, winning gold there and in Tokyo in 2021.
Keenan said: “We’re disappointed. We obviously came out strongly, putting in that first half performance that we were looking for.
“We just didn’t back it up. There were a few mistakes and not taking a few crucial chances that we could have to put it to bed.
“We will review it now. It’s a short turn and I suppose that’s the beauty of Sevens. You can put up behind you pretty quickly.
“You’re not waiting around the full week to right a few wrongs. So there’s plenty of learnings, bits tto improve on in that performance.
“We’ll definitely need to if we want to go further into the semis.
“But at the same time we’re exactly where we are, in a quarter-final, competing for a medal.
“It’s a huge opportunity and we’re really excited. And I think that performance was definitely a step up from the last two that we’ve put in.
“It’s just I suppose getting that 14 15, 16 minute performance.
“And I think we’ll definitely need to in this one to come. There’ll be no room for error against this Fiji side.
“We all know what they’re capable of, what form they’re taking into it. They’re obviously gold metal holders already.
“But we know ourselves that we can compete with anyone, watching the guys in the World Series for the whole year.”
NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Two of Ireland’s three wins over Fiji have come this season.
Asked if that, or Fiji’s Olympic pedigree, was of more relevance ahead of their match at 9pm tonight, Keenan said: “There’s a bit of both.
“They’ve got a few new bodies in from the series. I suppose, so do we.
“They’ve obviously got the experience, but the lads will take good confidence that we’ve competed against them all year and um and we can compete with any team in the competition.”
Ireland had started strongly but Keenan squandered an early scoring chance. He said: “That was just a mistake on my behalf.
“It’s a little bit greasy out there but that’s no excuse I should have taken it and should have finished it.”
But Ireland did take control after Zak Ward shaped to pass inside but instead turned the after-burners on to speed past Fehi Fineanganofo and touch down.
Mark Roche missed the conversion but he did add the extras when Ireland bagged a second try just before the break after Terry Kennedy picked out Jordan Conroy.
Conroy injured himself in grounding the ball which will make him a doubt for tonight’s clash but, as a team, Ireland were in a strong position at the break.
But New Zealand dragged themselves back into contention within a minute of the restart when Larcy Carter broke from deep and avoided an attempted tap tackle by Chay Mullins with his try successfully converted.
And Ireland’s failure to make pressure on the New Zealand line count after they coughed up a penalty with just under two minutes remaining.
Their opponents slowly worked the ball up the field with Ngarohi McGarvey-Black going over before Andrew Knewstubb converted.