Paris Sevens: Six-man Fiji stroll into Final
France, despite the support of a raucous crowd, could not match the skill, pace and power of a team destined to win back-to-back World Series titles.
Fiji will meet Pacific rivals Samoa in the Final, after the latter scored a very fortuitous 14-12 win over Argentina - who saw their captain butcher was would have been a match-winning try if he had just passed to a man on his outside, less than five metres from the tryline.
South Africa will meet Australia in the Plate Final, after beating New Zealand (29-19) and Kenya (26-7) respectively.
England (who beat Russia 19-7) and Scotland (with a 14-12 win over the United States) will meet in the Bowl Final, while Wales (who beat Canada 17-12 in sudden-death extra time) and Portugal (a 24-5 over Brazil) will meet in the Shield Final.
Cup semifinals:
In the first of the semifinals Juan Pablo Estelles wriggled his way over after neat work down the short side. Samoa looked to have had enough numbers to keep Los Pumas at bay, but Estelles showed great strength in the tackle and was able to reach out for the line.
Ed Fidow brushed off one tackle and broke through another before he got his head down and sprinted for the line: the perfect combination of power and pace. Samoa won another turnover and almost created a second try, but Tila Mealoi was unable to cleanly gather Fidow's pop-up pass in the in-goal area. Argentina then went down the other end and Javier Rojas scored after some sublime footballing skills in the build-up
There was great ball retention from Argentina, as they stretched the Samoan defence, and a floated pass to Rodrigo Etchart looked to have got them their first try of the second half. However, the assistant referee ruled that it went forward and it remained a five-point game - until Samoa Tolau broke downfield and gave the ball to Belgium Tuetagaloa to score.
Argentinean captain German Schulz the gifted the game to Samoa. The twice-capped 15-a-side international ignored the man outside him and went for the line himself. However, a double tackle stopped him short and the 22-year-old was unable to keep hold of the ball. Samoa won the resulting scrum and booted the ball out for the victory and a place in the Cup Final.
In the second of the Cup semifinals Virimi Vakatawa showed his defensive ability with a brilliant try-saving cover tackle on Isake Katonibau to keep the second Cup semifinal scoreless - for a while. Stephen Parez and Steeve Parry then combined to put Virimi Vakatawa clear and the Fijian-born flyer did the rest for the home side.
Great basketball skills from Jasa Veremalua helped Fiji fire back with a try for the smiling assassin, Josua Tuisova. Vatemo Ravouvou landed a brilliant conversion - 7-5 to Fiji at the break.
Vakatawa got penalised at the breakdown for not releasing the man in the tackle and Fiji took it quickly. The ball went through several pairs of hands and captain Osea Kolinisau was on hand to dot down out wide. Kolinisau crossed for his second shortly after and it look like the game was beyond France's reach at 5-17.
There was late drama as Apisai Domolailai was sent off for a tip tackle with just over two minutes to go. France piled on the pressure, but Fiji produce epic goal-line defence to keep the hosts at bay. Vatemo Ravouvou then ran in a try in from 60 metres to finally confirm the victory.
Results:
Argentina 12-14 Samoa
France 5-22 Fiji
Plate semifinals:
In the first semifinal - between New Zealand and South Africa - Rieko Ioane raced towards the line and Seabelo Senatla was powerless to stop the youngster from going over for the first try. Ioane used his pace to race away from Senatla and Specman - no slouches themselves - to get his second try of the game. Kurt Baker did all the spade work with a strong carry.
Rosko Specman put on the after-burners to score the first points of the second half and promptly used Kurt Baker's trademark double thumbs-up celebration - in the face of Baker. Shortly after, Cecil Afrika ran a great line and hit the ball at pace to put the BlitzBoks seven ahead and the lead was extended further when Senatla grabbed his second with a typically sublime piece of fine finishing.
In the second semifinal Australia dominated possession and Con Foley helped himself to a first-half brace against a tiring Kenyan defence. Australia went wide-wide and Ed Jenkins sprinted through a gaping hole in the Kenya defence to run in his side's third try from 25 metres.
Kenya started the second half in much better fettle, following the introduction of Robert Aringo as a half-time replacement and they deservedly got the first try of the second half through Samuel Oliech.
Kenya couldn't get out of their own 22 as the clock ran down and Australia eventually forced a penalty at the breakdown. The ball went through the hands from left to right and Henry Hutchison went over in the corner to confirm the win.
Results:
New Zealand 19-29 South Africa
Kenya 7-26 Australia
Bowl semifinals:
Vladislav Sozonov gathered in a beautifully weighted cross field kick just before Oliver Lindsay-Hague can get to him and Russia had the first try of the game. Charlie Hayter hit the ball up and got England over the gain line and the ball was worked wide to Oliver Lindsay-Hague who scored under the posts - level at the break.
Cameron Cowell enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a well-taken try to put England in front for the first time. Cowell spotted a gap down the blindside and scampered over. Davis strolled over for another as Russia ran out of steam.
Hugh Blake popped up a pass off the floor and Scott Riddell went over for Scotland's second try against the United States. Earlier on, Dougie Fife had given the Scots the lead only for United States to respond through Folau Niua after a blistering break down the left by Perry Baker.
Zack Test went over in added time, after Scotland ran out of numbers in defence. But Madison Hughes' all-important conversion attempt two metres in from the touchline was short and right and Scotland won by two.
Results:
Russia 7-19 England
United States 12-14 Scotland
Shield semifinals:
Adam Zaruba made one and then scored another as Canada seized the early initiative against Wales. Zaruba put in Admir Cejanovic for the first try, before claiming the restart with a superb one-handed take and running a try in from 35 metres. Wales pulled five points back just before the break after neat footwork from Lloyd Lewis sees him step around a couple of defenders on his way to the line.
Angus O'Brien was hauled down a couple of metres short, but Lloyd Lewis is up in support to pick the ball up and go over for his second try of the game. Errors from both sides made this a scrappy contest. Big Ben Roach tried to snatch victory at the death, but he was stopped in his tracks 20 metres from the Canadian line and the game, possibly the least entertaining of the Paris Sevens, goes into extra-time.
After defending for a minute of extra-time, Wales forced a mistake from Canada and stole possession. Morgan Williams slipped a pass away to Luke Treharne and the Welsh skipper sprinted home for the golden score.
It's the Nuno Guedes and Duarte Moreira show as Portugal take command of the second Shield semifinal. Guedes scored a fine individual effort and sets up a second for Moreira with a brilliant behind the back pass. Aderito Esteves combines with Gueres to put Pedro Leal in for his 96th series try as Portugal opened up a 24-0 lead at the start of the second half.
Brazil got their first points as Gustavo Albuquerque took a pass from Moses Duque to finish off a move started by Felipe Silva but it's Portugal who went through to the Shield Final where they will face Wales.
Results:
Canada 12-17 Wales (sudden death extra time, the teams were level 12-all at regulation full-time)
Portugal 24-5 Brazil
Source: @WorldRugby