Heartbreak for Samoa as Australia clinch last automatic Paris 2024 men's rugby berth

Australia have claimed the last automatic spot for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in men's rugby sevens on offer at the 2023 World Sevens Series.

They confirmed their qualification by beating Great Britain 34-5 in the London Sevens seventh-place playoff at Twickenham to secure fifth place in the 2022/2023 series standings.

Australia join Fiji, Argentina, and series champions New Zealand as the four automatic qualifiers from this season's world series, with France also guaranteed a spot at Paris 2024 as hosts.

Samoa missed out on Olympic qualification by the narrowest of margins at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. They could still qualify for Paris via regional qualifying or the final repechage tournament.

They did come away from South West London with the consolation of third place after beating New Zealand 24-19. With the scores level and time up, Samoa somehow stole the ball with Taunuu Niulevaea running down the touchline to seal the win.

Argentina defeated Fiji 35-14 in the final which meant the reigning Olympic champions ended the campaign without a tournament win for the first time since 2010-11.

Fiji went into an early lead, but a red card for a dangerous tackle by Josese Batirerega proved decisive as the Pumas romped to a third title of the season.

Rodrigo Isgro and Marcos Moneta scored two tries apiece with Moneta taking his World Sevens Series tally to 100 in just 20 tournaments.