OLYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020: MEN’S SESSION 1 STATS

GENERAL STATISTICS

 A total of 40 tries and 250 points were scored in the first session of Tokyo 2020. This is an increase on the 33 tries and 216 points scored in the first six matches of Rio 2016.

 New Zealand were the top try-scorers with eight in their 50-5 defeat of the Republic of Korea.

 Five players scored a brace of tries in the opening session – Josh Turner (Australia), Waisea Nacuqu (), Dan Norton (Great Britain), Tim Mikkelson and William Warbrick (New Zealand).

MATCH 1 – FIJI 24-19 JAPAN – POOL B

 Fiji’s Jiuta Wainiqolo scored the first try of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 men’s competition after 19 seconds – three minutes and 45 seconds quicker than the opening try at Rio 2016 by France’s Terry Bouhraoua against Australia.

 Waisea Nacuqu equalled the most tries in an Olympic match by a Fijian player with two, joining , Josua Tuisova and Kitione Taliga.

 Asaeli Tuivuaka received the first yellow card of Tokyo 2020 with 20 seconds remaining in the match.

 Japan scored their most points (19) against Fiji in their 24-19 loss to the defending Olympic champions. The sides have met 22 times across the Olympic Games (2) and World Rugby Sevens Series (20).

Page 2 of 4

MATCH 2 – GREAT BRITAIN 24-0 CANADA – POOL B

 Dan Norton has now scored in three consecutive matches for Great Britain at the Olympic Games, also scoring in the medal semi-final and gold medal match at Rio 2016.

 Canada were the only one of the three Olympic debutants not to score a try in their opening match.

MATCH 3 – NEW ZEALAND 50-5 REPUBLIC OF KOREA – POOL A

 Jeong Yeon Sik scored the Republic of Korea’s first Olympic try after five minutes and 43 seconds against New Zealand.

 Tim Mikkelson has now scored in two consecutive matches at the Olympics, also scoring in the fifth place play-off v Argentina at Rio 2016.

 Mikkelson and William Warbrick join Regan Ware as the New Zealand players to score two tries in an Olympic match. Ware crossed twice against France at Rio 2016.

 New Zealand scored their most points in an Olympic match in the 50-5 victory. This is the second highest total in Olympic history after South Africa's 54 against Japan in the Rio 2016 bronze medal match, and the biggest margin of victory at 45 points.

MATCH 4 – AUSTRALIA 19-29 ARGENTINA – POOL A

 Argentina’s four tries in the first half is their most in a half at the Olympic Games.

 Four of Argentina’s try-scorers have won medals at a Youth Olympic Games. Lautaro Bazán Vélez won silver at Nanjing 2014 with Lucio Cinti, Marcos Moneta and Ignacio Mendy winning gold on home soil in Buenos Aires in 2018.

 Matías Osadczuk was Argentina’s leading try scorer on the World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 with 16. He has now scored a try in each of his past three matches against Australia (World Series 2, Olympic Games 1).

Page 3 of 4

MATCH 5 – SOUTH AFRICA 33-14 IRELAND – POOL C

 Justin Geduld – the only survivor from South Africa’s bronze medallists at Rio 2016 – has now scored three tries at the Olympic Games, with tries in each of his last two matches. He also scored in the bronze medal match against Japan in 2016.

 Gavin Mullin scored Ireland’s first Olympic try in his debut match. He switched from 15s to sevens in 2020 and is the son of former Ireland international Brendan Mullin, who played 55 tests and at three Rugby World Cups (1987, 1991 and 1995) and toured Australia with the British and Irish Lions in 1989.

MATCH 6 – USA 19-14 KENYA – POOL C

 Carlin Isles, the top scorer at Rio 2016, scored his seventh Olympic try for USA. He has scored a try in each of his last four matches at the Olympic Games.

 USA have snapped a two-game losing streak against Kenya on Japanese soil. The sides are now level in their head-to-head in Japan with two wins each.

Page 4 of 4