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Sydney Sevens: Fiji build up steam

The massive win showed Fiji means business in this tournament after they beat Samoa 31-0 earlier in the day.

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Argentina also qualified for the last eight after they recorded 14-12 win over Samoa.

South Africa, Kenya, England, USA, New Zealand and Australia also made their way into the Cup play-offs after winning their second round of matches in their respective pools

Click here for latest pool standings! 

We take a look at the action!

Pool A

(Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal)

Portugal were no match for New Zealand, with the men in black securing a convincing 40-5 win in their second Pool A game.

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Regan Ware gave his team the lead after one minute with an intercept try. Two minutes later the score was doubled after Akira Ioane eased his way over for a score.

Portugal could just not keep up with New Zealand's pace and fell further being when Ware went over for his second try with three minutes still to play in the first half. At half-time the score was 21-0 in favour of the men in black.

There was just no stopping New Zealand as tries by Rieko Ioane, Augustine Pulu and Ben Lam. Ederito Estevez scored a consolation try for Portugal on full-time. 

Australia's match with Canada was an arm-wrestle to begin with before Lewis Holland sprinted away for his team's first try in the fourth minute.

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The Canadians were not going to lie down however, with Nathan Hirayama scoring and converting his own try to give his team a 7-5 lead with a minute left in the half.

It was the home side who eventually had the last say when Holland again split the Canadian defence in two to run in for his second try. Australia led 12-7 at the break.

Holland looked to certain to get his hat-trick in the third minute of the second half, but he opted to pass to Henry Speight who sprinted in for Australia's third try.

Henry Hutchison added a fourth try a few minutes later before Canada's John Moonlight got the final score of the game. Australia won 26-12.

Earlier in the day, Australia beat Portugal 24-7, while New Zealand bagged a 27-12 win over Canada. 

Results:

Australia 26-12 Canada

New Zealand 40-5 Canada

New Zealand 27-12 Canada

Australia 24-7 Portugal

Pool B

(South Africa, Kenya, Russia, Scotland)

The BlitzBoks were just too strong for their second opponents, Russia, on day one – winning 40-0

Sydney Sevens: Fiji build up steamCarel du Preez crashed over for the BlitzBoks first try of the game after the ball went through the hands in the opening minute of the game.

Russia tried to build some momentum when they had the ball, but could not crack the BlitzBoks' defence. Instead it was Cheslin Kolbe who increased the South African's lead with another try after a finding a gap near the Russian tryline. Dylan Sage and Seabelo Senatla also got tries before the break to give the BlitzBoks a 26-0 lead. 

Senatla got his second try early in the second half and completed his hat-trick on the full-time whistle to give the BlitzBoks a comfortable win. 

Scotland made a big step up from their disappointing performance against the BlitzBoks earlier in the day in their match against Kenya.

A much closer battle this one in Pool B with Oscar Ayodi scoring either side of Hugh Blake's touchdown for the Scots to give the popular Kenyans the half-time advantage. The first was a 75-metre move and the second in the dying seconds of the half coming after he easily sliced through a gap in the defence.

Scotland turned up the heat in second half to lead 14-12 with just few minutes to go. However, with just a minute left to go, Bush Mwale dotted down in the left corner to secure a win for the Kenyans, although Scotland did have an opportunity to sneak it at the end. Kenya won 17-14.

In Pool B's opening games, South Africa thrashed Scotland 33-7, while Kenya notched up a 24-10 win over Russia. 

Results:

Kenya 17-14 Scotland

South Africa 40-0 Russia

South Africa 33-7 Scotland

Kenya 24-10 Russia

Pool C

(Fiji, Argentina, France, Samoa)

Fiji continued where they left off in the first round of matches when they smashed France 49-5 to record their second win of the tournament.

Fiji were simply irresistible throughout the game scoring seven tries with Jerry Tuwai and Osea Kolinisau getting a brace each. It was Tuwai who opened the scoring with a magnificent try. At half-time Fiji were leading 28-0 after another three tries were scored.

The trend continued in the second half until France got a consolation try through Arthur Retiere before the end.

The match between Argentina was a closer affair with no one able to break the deadlock in the opening six minutes of the game. The breakthrough came just before half-time when Samoa Tolo got in for the score.

Samoa extended their lead three minutes into the second half when Toloa again cantered in for a try to give his team a 12-0 lead. Rodrigo Etchart got one back for Argentina with two minutes remaining before Franco Sabato broke through a tackle on full-time to get a crucial try. The try was converted to give Argentina a 14-12 win.

Earlier, Fiji beat Samoa 31-0, while Argentina edged France 17-7.

Results:

Argentina 14-12 Samoa

Fiji 49-5 France

Fiji 31-0 Samoa

Argentina 17-7 France

Pool D

(England, Japan, USA, Wales)

England booked their place in the last eight with a 21-5 win over British rivals Wales in their second game.

It only took them 20 seconds for England's Tom Bowen to race away and under the posts for the game's opening try. Wales were not going to allow England to slip away and scored a try themselves in the fourth minute through Jordan Williams.

The games resumed after a long injury delay, but no one was able to add to the scoreboard with the score at the break reading 7-5 to England.

England were the first to score in the second half after Alex Davis broke through the Welsh defence to score under the polls. There was no stopping the English after that and they put some daylight between themselves and the Welsh with a minute left after Jack Wilson went over for a score.

In the match after, Perry Baker continued his impressive showing in Sydney after getting USA's first try in their 33-17 win over Japan.

Mike Friday's men were in full control of this after Martin Iosefo added a second try. Japan, though, weren't overawed and scored a well-worked try of their own through Satoshi Oshima – the first try the Eagles have conceded so far in Sydney.

Just when Japan thought they were back in it, Baker got his second try just before the break to give his team a 19-5 lead at half-time.

It was more of the same after the break with Baker completing his hat-trick and Carlin Isles adding fifth five minutes later. Japan finished with a flourish, scoring two tries to make the score look more respectable.

The win was USA's second after their convincing 42-0 demolition of Wales. England beat Japan 26-5 in their first game.

Results:

USA 33-17 Japan

England 21-5 Wales

England 26-5 Japan

USA 42-0 Wales

Click here for earlier match reports!

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