IRB 7s: Kiwis make it five in a row
Sun, 30 Mar 2008 03:30
New Zealand won their fifth tournament of the season on Sunday, beating rivals South Africa 26-12 in the Final at Hong Kong, Round Five in the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series.
It was the Kiwis' first win in Hong Kong, the biggest event on the calendar, since 2001 - Gordon Tietjens' side extending its record winning streak to 42 matches.
The victory - their seventh tournament win on the trot, taking into account the last two events of the previous season - saw them race into an almost unassailable lead at the top of the IRB Sevens standings.
Their 110 points put them 38 clear of the second-placed South Africans, with just three rounds remaining.
Fiji are in third place, a further 10 points behind and for anybody to catch the Kiwis in the overall Series challenge, it would require the New Zealanders getting virtually no points in the remaining tournaments and their rivals winning all three events.
South Africa will take consolation from making their first ever Hong Kong Cup Final, and in consolidating their second place in the series standings, but New Zealand's utter dominance this season continues unchecked.
France win Plate thriller
France won their first silverware of the season, beating the Pumas of Argentina 17-14 after a minute of sudden-death extra time.
Russia retain Hong Kong Bowl
Claude Saurel's bright young Russian side beat off the challenge of pacy Zimbabwe to retain the Hong Kong Bowl, 19-14.
* Earlier the Kiwis reached the Grand Finale through an impressive 34-0 (six-try) demolition job on Sevens rivals Fiji in the first semifinal, while South Africa twice came from behind to edge Samoa 12-10 in a bruising encounter.
We bring you comprehensive reports from Day Three in Hong Kong!
Bowl quarterfinals:
Keith Robertson was once
again the star performer both in attack and defence as Hong Kong scored a stunning victory against Asian heavyweights Japan to reach the Bowl semifinals. Robertson scored one try and thwarted Japan on countless occasions to help book the last four match up against Zimbabwe, who overcame Waisale Serevi's Chinese Taipei side.
Korea will face Claude Saurel's Russian outfit in the other semifinal after they scored respective wins against China and Sri Lanka.
Fixtures/results:
Match 37: Zimbabwe 26 Chinese Taipei 7
Match 38: Japan 14 Hong Kong 19
Match 39: China 5 Korea 12
Match 40: Sri Lanka 10 Russia 35
Plate quarterfinals:
Argentina will play Tonga in the first Plate semifinal, after their victories over Scotland and Portugal respectively.
In the other half of the draw France will play Canada, after both scored late victories. The French pipped Tunisia at the
death, before Christoph Strubin went over in the corner to deny the USA with the last play of the game.
Fixtures/results:
Match 41: Argentina 70 Scotland 5
Match 42: Tonga 26 Portugal 17
Match 43: France 10 Tunisia 7
Match 44: Canada 24 USA 21
Cup quarterfinals:
Earlier New Zealand continued their impressive winning streak against Wales in the Hong Kong Cup quarterfinals, but the final scoreline of 26-7 says nothing of the closeness of the encounter. Fiji were also made to work hard for their 10-0 win over Kenya.
Wales trailed by just 7-12 and might have drawn level at the start of the second half, but referee Pro Legoete cruelly pulled them back for a forward pass. The Welsh squandered further opportunities to score against a nervy looking Kiwi side and as they tired New Zealand ran away with the game, Tomasi Cama and Steven Yates scoring two good tries.
In the second Cup quarterfinal another fine Kenyan defensive performance held under-par Fiji to just a 5-0 half-time lead. The Kenyans, though, were unable to capitalise on some promising attacking positions and the final scoreline of 10-0 underlines the competitive nature of the entire 14 minutes.
In the other half of the draw South Africa advanced to play Samoa for a place in the Final. For the South Africans Renfred Dazel was again on top form, scoring one try and creating another as they beat off the stiff challenge of Australia 19-14.
Australia came back from being 0-14 down to level the scores, before South Africa sealed their place in the last four with a late winner. England held a 12-7 lead, before two second-half scores saw Samoa edge them in a very bruising encounter.
Alatasi Tupou broke the deadlock for Samoa against England, his last minute try taking them through 17-12, after having earlier come back from being 7-12 down.
Fixtures/results:
Match 45: New Zealand 26 Wales 7
Match 46: Kenya 0 Fiji 10
Match 47: South Africa 19 Australia 14
Match 48: Samoa 17 England 12
Bowl semifinals:
Zimbabwe raced out to an early 14-0 lead, before the hosts hit back with a try of their own. But a Fortune Chipendu try saw the Zimbabweans take a 21-7 lead at the break. Cleopas Makotose scored straigh after the restart to put Zimbabwe clear and end the game as a contest. There was one final score as the African side won 35-7.
Alexander Shakirov opened the scoring, as the Russians used their superior physical strength to bump off would-be defenders. Another score gave them a 14-0 lead at the break. The Russians' physical dominance continued to serve them well and a Nikolay Shugay try early in the second half put them clear. You Young-Nam got a consolation score for Korea, but Russia ran out 19-5 winners to advance to the Final.
Fixtures/results:
(Kick-off local time - GMT +8)
Match 49: Zimbabwe 35 Hong Kong 7
Match 50: Korea 5 Russia 15
Plate semifinals:
Santiago Gomez Cora, who is set to retire from Sevens after this tournament, opened the scoring for Argentina. Ualosi Kailea got one back for Tonga on the half-time hooter to make it 7-5 to the Pumas at the break. Vungakoto Lilo scored from the restart after the break to put Tonga in the lead and Gomez Cora got one back to level matters at 12-all. The crucial score came from Martin Bustos Moyano, as Argentina broke out from five metres away from their own tryline to take a 19-12 lead with just a minute to play. There was a last flurry from Tonga, but it was not to be and the Pumas advanced.
France opened the scoring through Simon Sarthou and then Eddy Labarthe added a second as the Canadians struggled to cope with the early pace of the French. It certainly didn't help the North Americans that their handling was not up to par either. Manoel Dall Igna added a third as the French raced into a 17-0 lead - which was how it stayed till the break. There was no let-up for the North Americans and despite a consolation score from Justin Mensah-Coker, France won 36-5.
Fixtures/results:
(Kick-off local time - GMT +8)
Match 51: Argentina 19 Tonga 12
Match 52: France 36 Canada 5
Cup semifinals:
Steven Yates opened the scoring in the encounter between traditional Sevens rivals New Zealand and Fiji, as the Kiwis took an early lead. Fiji were reduced to six men when Epeli Vuniwaqa was yellow carded for a spear tackle and Victor Vito soon made the numerical advantage count as the Kiwis went 10-0 ahead. A third try, after a Fijian error, by Tomasi Cama saw the Kiwis race into a healthy 17-0 lead at the break. That dominance continued after the break as Yates scored a fourth, his second, from another Fijian mistake. DJ Forbes then added tries number five and six as the Kiwis blew Fiji away - recording a 34-0 win.
The Samoans had some early fortune as a favourable bounce from a kick ahead put Alatasi Tupou over for the opening score. The South Africans struggled to cope with the physical Samoans, who contested vigorously at the breakdown. But a try by MJ Mentz on the stroke of half-time brought the Springboks back into the game - making it 7-all at the break. The Samoans continued to trouble the South Africans at the breakdown, as the Boks seemed intent on taking contact rather than seek the spaces. Simaika Mikaele slotted a miracle drop-goal from 55m out, but Mzwandile Stick hit back straigh away with a crucial score to put the Boks in the lead for the first time. The South Africans held out for the last minute to score a 12-10 win and reach their first ever Final in Hong Kong.
Fixtures/results:
(Kick-off local time - GMT +8)
Match 53: New Zealand 34 Fiji 0
Match 54: South Africa 12 Samoa 10
Bowl Final:
The Zimbabweans started in sparkling fashion, with slick handling putting Tendayi Daniel Hondo over for the first score, as the Russians struggled to cope with the pace of the African team. The Zimbabweans allowed the East European team back into the game with some shocking handling and Sergey Belousov drew his team level with a try. However, the Zimbabwean pace brought them their next try, as Gerald Sibanda scored to put his team back in the lead just before the break - making it 14-7.
Oleg Kobzev quickly pulled one back for the Russians as they levelled the scores early in the second period. The Russians took the lead for the first time late in the half as Aleksandr Gvozdovskiy found the legs to outsprint the Zimbabwean cover, giving his team a five-point (19-14) edge. The African side had one last chance, but poor handling again cost them and Russia took the Bowl competition. The Russians also won the Bowl in Hong Kong last year.
Fixture/result:
(Kick-off local time - GMT +8)
Match 55: Zimbabwe 14 Russia 19
Plate Final:
Vincent Roux opened the scoring for the French, as they found space out wide. The Argentineans let themselves down with some poor option-taking and twice required desperate tackles to hold out the counter-attacking French. However, Emeric Chretien got yellow carded for a professional foul and the Pumas took advantage of their numerical advantage as Gonzalo Camacho went over for the try that levelled the scores at 7-all. But a clever little grubber saw Simon Sarthou over unopposed as the French took a 14-7 lead into the break.
It was a bit of good fortune that saw the Pumas claw their way back, with Gabriel Ascarate getting a favourable bounce after hacking the ball ahead and following up to score - leaving the game tied at 14-all. The two teams failed to break the deadlock, despite a late rally by Argentina, and the game went into sudden-death extra time.
From the restart the French earned a penalty and Simon Sarthou took a drop-goal shot at the posts, which he slotted from 35m out - not a popular decision for the Hogh Kong spectators, but a score that drew wild celebrations in the French camp as they took home the Plate trophy.
Fixture/result:
(Kick-off local time - GMT +8)
Match 56: Argentina 14 France 17 (sudden-death extra time)
Cup Final:
An early penalty gave the Kiwis a golden chance, with quick hands and great angles creating the space for Lote Raikabula to go over for the first score. The Springboks hsad a chance to hit back immediately, but gave away a penalty and Raikabula made them pay as he put Steven Yates clear for the Kiwis' second try - 14-0.
Poor options and some shoddy tackling again gave the Kiwis the ball and space. But the South African cover saved the day and a break-out try by Mzwandile Stick gave the Boks the lift they needed - 7-14. A kock-on from the restart gave the Boks an attacking scrum on the Kiwi 22, but the Boks turned it over with a knock-on of their own.
Victor Vito made good ground in the face of some poor tackline and it again required some desperate cover for the South Africans to save the day. But the Kiwis dominace in the physical exchanges up front paid off as Raikabula scored his team's third try for a 21-7 half-time lead.
The second half started with some nasty exchanges and the referee had a chat to the captains as the tension threatened to boil over.
Poor Bok tackling again gifted the Kiwis an opportunity, with Zar Lawrence going over for the fourth try - as the Kiwis raced to a 26-7 lead. The Kiwis continued to use their greater physical presence to force the South Africans into errors, as the clock ticked on and time started running out for a Bok comeback.
It certainly didn't help the South Africans that they started to lose their composure and the skills levels dropped, handing the little ball they got back to the Kiwis. Also, the referee had his hands full as the Kiwis responded with some questionable tactics, the match official twice having to talk to the New Zealanders about foul play.
Fabian Juries had a great chance to pull a late consolation score back, but the bouncing ball eluded him. Juries finally got across the line, but it was far too little too late as the Kiwis recorded match victory number 42 by a convincing 26-12 margin.
Fixture/result:
(Kick-off local time - GMT +8)
Match 57: New Zealand 26 South Africa 12
