FIJI AIRWAYS FIJIAN 7S IN TOUGH CAPE TOWN POOL
Gareth Baber’s side to face Samoa, Canada and Wales in Cape Town this weekend
The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team are in tough pool in this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens tournament in South Africa.
After finishing fourth in the Dubai Sevens tournament that Seremaia Tuwai captained-side are the top seed for Pool D. Joining them as second seed are much improving Samoans under coach Sir Gordon Tietjens, Canada and Wales.
Last weekend Wales scared the Fijians during pool play before a Jasa Veremalua try sealed them the win 21-7.
Fijian 7s head coach Gareth Baber during the halftime urged his players to get the ball and maintain it to deny the Welsh any chance of winning.
Defending series champions South Africa top Pool A where they take on Kenya, France and Russia. Dubai 7s finalists New Zealand are in Pool B with Australia, Spain and USA. England head Pool C with Scotland, Argentina with the 16th team yet to be named.
DUBAI WINNERS
South Africa successfully defended the Dubai Rugby Sevens title after beating New Zealand 24-12 in the opening round of the World Rugby Sevens Series.
The reigning world series champions unleashed all their attacking firepower in what was a breathtaking display of sevens rugby across the two days. With his most experienced side ever, head coach Neil Powell notched up his fifth tournament win of 2017 and continued South Africa’s dominance on the global stage.
First-half tries from Rosko Specman, former World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Seabelo Senatla and HSBC Player of the Final Kwagga Smith put the Blitzboks 19-0 up against New Zealand, who were chasing their first tournament win since Vancouver in 2016. Scott Curry and Andrew Knewstubb got the All Blacks Sevens back into the match, but at 1912 it was the powerful Tim Agaba who closed the game out.
“It was a great performance from the guys,” said Senatla, who scored seven tries in Dubai,
“It’s been a while since we all played together but it’s so great to win again in Dubai.” England pipped Fiji 28-21 to win the Bronze final, while France beat Spain 21-12 to win the Challenge Trophy. The next round of the series takes place in Cape Town on 9-10 December, where England will be looking to retain their crown.
TOUGH FIJIANS
South Africa faced their sternest test of the tournament against 2015 Dubai winners Fiji in the semifinal. Kwagga Smith, fresh from his venture into 15s with the Lions in Super Rugby, showed pure power to shrug off three defenders and rumble towards the Fiji line, only to be held up short. Cecil Afrika managed to scoop up the ball out the back of the breakdown and dot it down.
It was the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year 2016 Seabelo Senatla who showed his tactical awareness for the Blitzboks second, ripping the ball out of a ruck on the Fiji 10 metre line and slipping through the defence untouched. With the conversion good, Fiji mounted their comeback through Jerry Tuwai, the quick footed playmaker running in an easy score after multiple phases of play stretched the defence thin.
The Pacific Islanders got the conversion and won the restart, but Amenoni Nasilasila knocked it on to thwart their chances of Dubai glory.