Memorable double ends NZ campaign
New Zealand ended their Commonwealth Games campaign on a massive high after the women’s and men’s sevens teams both claimed gold medals in sensational circumstances.
Within half an hour of the New Zealand women winning their final with a magnificent solo try to Kelly Brazier in golden point extra time against Australia, the men’s team completed a mouthwatering double triumph by beating Fiji 14-0 in their final.
WOMEN
MEN
New Zealand dominated Fiji in the final, the 14-0 scoreline failing to reflect the Kiwis’ superiority.
Fiji’s game was riddled with errors, particularly in the first half, as they kept handing back possession to New Zealand in what could have been a symptom of having to play extra time in their semifinal victory over South Africa.
The Kiwis made them pay for most of their errors in the first half, while an outstanding defensive effort in the second earned them the gold medal.
Etene Nanai-Seturo got the first New Zealand try in the opening 71 seconds after some tidy footwork .
Regan Ware matched that with a couple of sidesteps of his own to beat four defenders on his way to New Zealand’s second try.
Fiji’s task was made even tougher two minutes before halftime when Sevuloni Mocenecagi earned himself a yellow card for a high, no-arms tackle on New Zealand’s Sam Dickson which had the New Zealand coaching staff fired up. The Fijian was fortunate the colour of the card was not red.
Fiji started the second half strongly with just six players. Paula Dranisnukula was caught within metres of the tryline by desperate New Zealand defence.
Mocenecagi returned to the field shortly after. Fiji continued to threaten with seven players, but New Zealand’s defence held.
They kept possession for almost all of the last three minutes to ensure they made amends for their gold medal match loss to South Africa at Glasgow in 2014. That result was the only time New Zealand had not claimed men’s sevens gold since the sport was introduced to the Games in 1998.