Young Koroi impresses
Sixth has a pretty unpalatable look about it.
Fifth would have been bad enough, but New Zealand couldn’t even manage that at the Wellington Sevens, losing 17-12 to Argentina in their final match of the weekend.
A Regan Ware try, set up by Vilimoni Koroi, got New Zealand under way, before a converted Lautaro Bazan Velez try gave Argentina a 7-5 halftime lead. Captain Scott Curry restored the host’s lead after the break and then the game ebbed and flowed until Bazan Velez went in again to make it 12-12.
But another New Zealand turnover settled the issue and Franco Sabato won the match for Argentina with a try in the corner.
Koroi produced some magical touches to guide New Zealand to a 24-0 win over England in their fifthplace semifinal and looks to have a bit to offer, having played on the wing for New Zealand Secondary Schools last year.
‘‘This is his first tournament and for a young fella he looks like he’s been playing for a few years now. There’s always things to work on and hopefully he’s going to kick on from now,’’ said assistant coach Tomasi Cama.
‘‘When you look at playmakers, obviously they can pass, they can kick.
‘‘But one thing they do have, they do have time when they have the ball and that’s when they look forward and make decisions.’’
It’s Koroi’s composure that really excites Cama.
‘‘At this stage I don’t have to do a lot. He’s got all the talent. If anything it’s just the little things we can work on off the field to make sure that he gets out there and does what he does best.’’
Koroi can’t quite believe this is happening.
He grew up idolising players such as Cama and team-mates DJ Forbes and Tim Mikkelson. Being picked for Wellington was one thing, but the idea he might play - and play well was quite another.
‘‘I’ve been very nervous playing out there. Very nervous,’’ Koroi said.
It’s just that he hasn’t played like a nervous bloke.
‘‘Just like Junior [Cama] says, when you get out on the field just play your game [and] stay calm under pressure, because you’re a playmaker.’’