France win Euro 7s title
France have win the 2023 European 7s Championship after winning both legs, including Sunday’s competition in Hamburg
Published by John Birch, July 10th, 2023
3 minute read
Fielding effectively their full World Series team for the second time, France were too strong for all of their opponents in Hamburg last weekend. They swept through their pool, quarter- and semi-finals with ease and only Spain in the final gave them any significant opposition.
Spain were the only other World Series team to select their near strongest team, and deserved their success after their disappointment at the previous week’s Olympic qualifier, no only ending runners up in Hamburg but also in the series as a whole.
Great Britain and Ireland, on the other hand, sent less experienced squads – the British squad reportedly only meeting together for the first time at the airport. Britain ended runners-up in Pool B behind Spain, but Ireland topped Pool C despite losing to Italy as the final round of pool games on Day Two upended the form shown on Day One. Italy missing out on the last eight after defeat to Portugal.
Britain and Ireland lost in the last eight, Belgium and Poland joining France and Spain in the semi-finals.
At the other end of the tournament Sweden and Romania both took the final two spots again and will be relegated to the Trophy for 2024.
Results
Pool A: France 41-0 Romania; Belgium 14-10 Germany; Belgium 24-12 Romania; France 48-0 Germany; France 50-5 Belgium; Germany 19-0 Romania
Pool B: Great Britain 19-10 Sweden; Spain 32-7 Czechia; Great Britain 19-15 Czechia; Spain 41-5 Sweden; Czechia 17-7 Sweden; Great Britain 14-22 Spain
Pool C: Ireland 32-5 Portugal; Poland 38-0 Italy; Ireland 19-24 Italy; Poland 36-19 Portugal; Italy 10-17 Portugal; Ireland 17-12 Poland
9th-12th Place Semi-Finals: Portugal 27-0 Romania; Italy 29-7 Sweden
Quarter-Finals: France 52-0 Germany; Spain 12-10 Czechia; Ireland 19-22 Belgium; Great Britain 10-17 Poland
5th-8th Place Semi Finals Germany 12-22 Great Britain; Czechia 29-12 Ireland
Semi-Finals: France 49-7 Poland; Spain 17-12 Belgium
11th Place: Romania 5-15 Sweden
9th Place: Portugal 19-28 Italy
7th Place: Germany 15-5 Ireland
5th Place: Great Britain 19-12 Czechia
3rd Place: Poland 14-20 Belgium
Final: France 26-7 Spain