Captain Faalemiga Selesele inspired Samoa to a 29-26 victory over Pacific neighbours Fiji at the HSBC Paris Sevens to lift their first Cup title since 2012 in remarkable fashion.

Having been defeated by Fiji 42-5 in their pool match on day two of the HSBC Paris Sevens many wrote Samoa off ahead of the final against the series leaders at the Stade Jean Bouin and when 26-7 behind at half-time it looked as though Ben Ryan’s side were heading for a fourth Cup title of the season.

But an inspired half-time teamtalk from coach Damian McGrath, some great playmaking from Belgium Tuatagaloa and tries from Tila Mealoi (2), Siaosi Asofolau and Selesele helped Samoa came back to beat Fiji in the second half, having lost to their neighbours the last time they were in a Cup final at the 2014 Gold Coast Sevens.

Selesele, who was magnificent all weekend, scored the winning try, his 50th and possibly most important try in his career, and was ultimately named the HSBC Player of the Final which he collected after the full-time whistle. The Samoan captain, who was also named in the Paris Sevens dream team forward three alongside Argentina’s Axel Muller and Fiji’s Jasa Veremalua, made 11 line breaks in the tournament, four more than his closest rivals. He also scored a crucial try in their victory over South Africa in the quarter-finals, made the third most carries (24) behind Virimi Vakatawa (28) and Henry Hutchison (25), as well as producing eight offloads – just four behind Leone Nakarawa of Fiji. It was a weekend to remember and a timely boost for the Samoans who have one eye on the Olympic repechage in Monaco in June where they will be one of 16 teams aiming to fill the 12th and final spot as rugby sevens makes its debut in the Olympic Games in Rio in August. “At half-time you would think we were dead and buried wouldn’t you?” said McGrath. “I said to them if they get the first score and got the momentum, then we’ve a chance. Once they saw Fiji flagging they went for the jugular and it paid off. It’s fantastic for the country.

“It was a surprise after Fiji took us to the cleaners last night but we wanted to get some pride back, and this surpassed all my expectations.

“When we started in August I never in my wildest dreams thought we would get here. But the plan was to come strong for the repechage and that is what we have done. We are going home with a wet sail, my only worry now is injuries, I want to wrap them all up but we have one more in London. But I hope this is a sign of things to come.”

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