Dubai 7s: Big guns ease through
New Zealand and England will meet in a Pool C crackers later in the day after both eased made it two wins out of two – New Zealand holding off a late rally from Samoa for a 26-19 win and England brushing Russia aside (38-7).
The star-studded South Africans, who were runners-up in the last World Series, were stunned by Scotland – as James Fleming skipped past the challenge of Seabelo Senatla and scored his 80th Sevens career try.
However, a Senatla double – including a sublime step-and-go by the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year that sealed the win – saw the BlitsBoks win 21-5. The United States bounced back from their Round One loss to record a 29-7 win over Uganda.
Kenya bounced back from their first-round loss to France with a 17-7 win over Japan, as Australia moved to the top of Pool D with a comprehensive 28-0 win over France.
Both Argentina and Canada lost in the first round, with Los Pumas bouncing back to beat Canada 21-14. Fiji, twice coming from behind, put their skills on display in a dominant second half to beat Wales 24-12.
England sealed a second win and a place in Saturday's Cup quarterfinal with an emphatic England 38-7 win over Russia,
New Zealand v Samoa
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Pool A:
(Fiji, Wales, Argentina, Canada)
Argentina got off to the flying start against Canada – tries by Bautista Delguy and Santiago Alvarez in the opening three minutes gave the South Americans a 14-0 lead. A yellow card to Fernando Luna allowed Adam Zaruba to hit back for Canada a minute from the break, but the Argentineans still held n for a 14-7 half-time lead.
Matias Ocsaduk restored the 14-point lead early in the second half. Nice set-piece play from Canada the allowed Liam Underwood to go over underneath the posts for his 13th Sevens career try, but Los Pumas had enough of an advantage and held on for the win.
Wales showed excellent composure in the first period, and Owen Jenkins raced away to break the deadlock. Seremaia Tuwai the punished some slack Welsh tackling to level the scores, but Ethan Davies went over in acres of space out on the left to regain Wales' advantage – 12-7 at the break.
Joeli Lutumailagi strolled to the tryline with the scores tied at 12-all. Seremaia Tuwai skipped through the middle of two defenders and sauntered past the sweeper to run in his fourth try of the day, before Fiji's Setareki Bituniyata added a fourth score as a new star was unleashed on the Sevens series.
Results:
Argentina 21-14 Canada
Fiji 24-12 Wales
Pool B:
(South Africa, Scotland, United States, Uganda)
It was a kick-and-chase by Philip Wokorach that opened the scoring and gave the newcomers, Uganda, and early lead against the seasoned American team. The Yanks' response was swift, a breakout from their 22 and some sublime passing saw Martin Iosefo scored the United States' first try. At half-time Uganda still held a narrow 7-5 lead.
There was more handling wizardry from the Americans as Andrew Durutalo opened the second-half scoring, with Stephen Tomasin getting the Yanks' third try. Martin Iosefo and Tomasin completed the second-half rout.
The Pool B encounter between South Africa and Scotland was marked by sound stout defence from the BlitzBoks, but the South Africans' discipline started to let them down and after a number of penalties James Fleming opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time – 5-0 at the break.
Fraser Lyle was sin-binned for cynical play and back-chat early in the second half, Seabelo Senatla using his pace to exploit the extra man and get the BlitzBoks on the board. A brilliant kick-and-chase then saw Rosko Specman go over for South Africa's second try. Senatla then settled the contest with sublime step-and-go – SA winning 21-5.
Results:
United States 29-7 Uganda
South Africa 21-5 Scotland
Pool C:
(England, Samoa, New Zealand, Russia)
It was, literally, one-way traffic in the first half between England and Russia. Clinical work from England saw captain Tom Mitchell go over and move past 900 Sevens career points for his country. Out on the wing, Dan Norton then went over and Ollie Lindsay-Hague threw a dummy to touch down England's third – 21-0 at the break.
It was much the same in the early stages no of the second half. England sealed a second win and a place in the Cup quarterfinals with three second-half tries – by Phil Burgess, Alex Davis and Dan Bibby – as Vladislav Lazarenko scored a consolation try for winless Russia.
Samoa made a stunning start against New Zealand, as Samoa Toloa broke the deadlock. However, precision work saw the Kiwis get back into the game – with their patient, calculated play rewarded when Dylan Collier ghosted into a wide-open gap in the Samoan defence. They scored another two quickfire tries – by Sherwin Stowers and Scott Curry – to lead 19-7 at the break.
Curry scored his second of the match early in the second half, with Samoa working hard to get back in the game. Teofilo Fidow and Toloa scored tries late in the half, but it was too little too late – with the Kiwis hanging on for a 26-19 win.
Results:
England 38-7 Russia
New Zealand 26-19 Samoa
Pool D:
(France, Australia, Japan, Kenya)
Frank Wanyama opened the scoring as the Africans took and early lead, with Leon Ellison opening Japan's account (his first-ever World Series try) – ensuring the Japanese took a 7-5 lead into the half-time break.
Willy Ambaka regained the lead for Kenya with a long-range try early in the second half, with Daniel Sikuta stretching the lead to 17-7 with just over a minute remaining on the clock. That's how it stayed to the end.
Simon Kennewell scored his first-ever World Series try as Australia took an early lead against an error-prone French team, Mick Adams then winning a turnover inside the opposition 22 and sprinted clear to make it 14-0 at the break.
James Stannard scored first for Australia after the break and Adams then got his second of the mach as the Aussies raced away from the hapless French team – winning 28-0.
Results:
Kenya 17-7 Japan
Australia 28-0 France
Source: @WorldRugby7s
