NZ KOs Fiji in Hong Kong Sevens quarters

HONG KONG, April 6, (AP): Defending champion New Zealand knocked out Fiji 19-12 with a last-minute try to reach the Hong Kong Sevens semifinals on Saturday.

Iconic Hong Kong’s most successful men’s teams, who have met in 15 finals including last year’s, didn’t produce another classic in the quarterfinals but it was typically tense.

Regan Ware brushed off two poor Fiji tackles to score the first try but Fiji was 12-7 ahead by halftime after tries by Ponepati Loganimasi from 80 meters out and Joji Nasova, who stood up his marker and glided past.

New Zealand leveled with two minutes to go when Xavier Tito-Harris screamed into the right corner. The winner came after New Zealand moved lineout ball right then left, stretching the Fiji defense to breaking point. Tone Ng Shiu dummied and crossed with seconds remaining in his first tournament since 2022 when he ruptured his ACL.

In the semifinals on Sunday, 12-time champion New Zealand will play six-time winner Australia, and France will face Ireland. France made the final once while Ireland never has.

New Zealand and Australia also meet in the women’s semis, after France tackles the United States.

Fiji backed into the quarterfinals as one of the two best third-placed pool teams. The 19-time Hong Kong champion, but not since 2019, upset France 14-7 in their last pool outing to edge out world series leader Argentina from the quarterfinals. Argentina missed a quarterfinals for the first time in 12 tournaments and 15 months.

France, without Antoine Dupont, accounted for Spain 24-10, and Australia won 15-0 against South Africa, which has never won Hong Kong. Nathan Lawson scored the first try and his jackal in the second half set up Maurice Longbottom for the clincher in the second half.

Ireland versus the U.S. was the Terry Kennedy and Kevon Williams show as they scored tries tit for tat. Kennedy sealed it in extra time with his hat trick. He scrambled back 10 meters to collect a loose pass, kicked upfield and won the race with two U.S. defenders to the ball in goal. Ireland won 24-19.

The women’s quarterfinals weren’t as close.