South Africa stun New Zealand in sevens quarter-finals as France and Fiji progress

Meanwhile, Fiji, the double-defending champions, narrowly beat Ireland and will face Australia in the medal matches on Saturday.

South Africa, who secured their place in the Games by winning the final repechage slot last month, displayed a strong performance against New Zealand.

Despite losing 17-5 to New Zealand in Wednesday's pool game, South Africa started off well and showcased excellent defensive skills against the Tokyo silver medallists.

South African captain Selwyn Davies made a remarkable breakthrough for the opening try, followed by a well-executed kick and chase that led to Tristan Leyds scoring a second try, both of which were converted by Leyds. New Zealand managed to score a try through Moses Leo, making it 14-7 at half-time.

Throughout the second half, New Zealand applied pressure, but South Africa's incredible defense prevented them from scoring, resulting in a memorable victory for South Africa.

In another match, France faced Argentina in a high-octane clash. Despite being booed by French fans due to a controversial video involving some Argentine international footballers, Argentina put up a tough fight.

However, France took the lead with two quick tries, with Andy Timo and Aaron Grandidier Nkanang scoring before halftime.

Grandidier Nkanang added another spectacular try to make it 21-0 at halftime. Although Argentina managed to score through Rodrigo Isgro and Marcos Moneta, France sealed the victory with a late try by Antoine Dupont.

Fiji maintained their flawless winning streak at the Olympics since the introduction of sevens in 2016, although they faced a tough challenge from a spirited Irish team who are relatively new to the format.

Iosefo Baleiwairiki scored Fiji's first try just 30 seconds into the game, but Ireland managed to take the lead with a score of 10-7 at halftime, thanks to two well-executed tries by Chay Mullins.

Zac Ward added a third try for Ireland, putting them in a strong position for an upset. However, Fiji responded with a length-of-the-field try by Joji Nasova and a opportunistic score by Waisea Nacuqu, taking a four-point lead. They held on to secure the win with solid defense.

Australia dominated their match against the United States, leading 10-0 at halftime with tries from James Turner and Corey Toole. Maurice Longbottom sealed the victory with a rare drop-goal penalty and a try, finishing with a commanding 18-0 win.

The medal matches are scheduled for Saturday.