Rugby union: South Africa clinch series title as Scotland stun Fiji at Paris sevens

Scotland caused a major upset at the the World Rugby Sevens Series in Paris, routing reigning Olympic gold medallists Fiji 24-0. PHOTO: TWITTER/WORLDRUGBY7S

PARIS (AFP) - South Africa were crowned winners of this season's World Rugby Sevens Series on Sunday after reaching the final of the penultimate leg in Paris.

The Blitzboks arrived in the French capital 25 points ahead of closest rivals Fiji in the standings on the back of four tournament wins and seven consecutive finals.

With 22 points on offer for a tournament victory and just one round remaining, in London on May 20-21, South Africa clinched the title after third-placed England lost to Scotland, before seeing off New Zealand 26-5 in their own semi-final.

Scotland themselves earlier snapped a 13-match losing run to stun Olympic champions Fiji 24-0 in the quarter-finals.

Jamie Farndale and Mark Robertson each scored a brace of tries for the Scots, also surprise victors over South Africa in the pool stage on Saturday, against an uncharacteristically sloppy Fijian side.

"We have some great individuals in the team with real pace, ball players and some big players," said Robertson. "We are a tight group, we have only missed out on small margins, but hopefully we can carry it on."

The Blitzboks had beaten defending champions Samoa 12-0 in the last eight thanks to tries from veterans Cecil Afrika and Werner Kok.

The All Blacks sevens, seeking a first tournament win of the season, saw off hosts France 14-0 in the quarter-finals, D.J. Forbes and Sione Molia crossing while Fiji-born France winger Virimi Vakatawa was sin-binned.

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