Fiji down Kiwis in USA Sevens final
LAS VEGAS: Semi Kunatani and Jerry Tuwai each scored two tries and Fiji defeated New Zealand 35-19 in Sunday’s championship match of the USA Rugby Sevens tournament.
Fiji, which also won the USA Sevens crown in 2007, inf licted the fifth finals loss in the past six years upon the Kiwis, who lost twice before to both South Africa and Samoa.
Tuwai scored two tries in the first six minutes and Savenca Rawaca added another to give Fiji a 21-0 half-time lead.
Kunatani added another try in the opening seconds of the second half. Jack Goodhue answered for the Kiwis but Kunatani found the try line again and Fiji grabbed a 35-5 edge and held on from there to conclude an unbeaten weekend.
“We’re a good team, working hard, very young as far as tournament caps,” Fiji coach Ben Ryan said. “When we’re on game we’re very hard to play against.”
Fiji, which edged New Zealand 14-12 in pool play, also won the series opener at Australia.
South Africa ensured remaining atop the IRB Sevens overall standings by beating the United States 31-0 in the thirdplace match. Cecil Afrika scored two tries as the Blitzboks blanked the Americans, who had played South Africa to a 19-19 draw in pool play.
Pace-setter South Africa finished on 93 points with New Zealand on 88 and Fiji on 86 after the fifth of nine stops on the global tour, which continues next month in Hong Kong.
“Makes that race at the top a little tighter now,” Ryan said.
The Americans were seeking their first Cup final since 2010, but New Zealand thumped the hosts 26-12 in the semi-finals.
Teenager Rieko Ioane, who helped power New Zealand to the Cup at home last weekend, scored two tries in the first half.
Fiji ousted two-time defending USA Sevens champion South Africa 24-19. Kunatani’s two tries for the Pacific Islanders helped deny the Blitzboks a chance at a fourth USA crown in five attempts.
Australia beat England 21-14 in the Plate final, doubling the lead on their arch rivals to four points in the fight for the fourth and final Rio de Janeiro Olympic berth on offer from the IRB Sevens Series table.
Ed Jenkins, Lewis Holland and Con Foley gave the Aussies a 21-0 edge, but England’s Charlie Hayter scored just before the break and Tom Mitchell’s try early in the second half kept England close to the final whistle.
“It was a physical encounter,” Aussie captain Jenkins said. “We were lucky to get some early tries but they came back at us. There were only two points separating us before and we’ve stretched it out to four.”
Kenya downed Argentina 2421 in the Bowl final and Portugal defeated Wales 19-12 in the Shield final. - AFP