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Dubai Rugby 7s: England, SA, Fiji and NZ all top pools

By AP

Friday 1 December 2017 18:40, UK

Dan Norton of England scores a try during the match between England and Scotland on Day Two of the Emirates Dubai Sevens
Image: England's Dan Norton scored four tries against Scotland in Pool B

England, South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand all topped their pools with three out of three wins in the opening leg of the Sevens world series.

England, the series runner-up last season, downed Scotland 29-0 with four Dan Norton tries to top Pool B.

Norton, the Sevens' specialist, proved impossible to mark and his pace was too much to handle for a Scotland side that progress after scrambling past France and Spain to line up a quarter-final with Fiji.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 01 2017: Werner Kok of South Africa scores a try during the match between South Africa and Canada on Day Two
Image: South Africa's Werner Kok crosses for a try against Canada

South Africa shook off some rust in beating Uganda 19-10 in the opener, then defeated Kenya 48-5 and blanked Canada, the winner in Singapore in April, by 28-0.

Fiji won the best match of the day in their 26-19 thriller with Australia to sweep Pool C.

Jerry Tuwai of Fiji celebrates scoring a try during the match between Fiji and Australia
Image: Jerry Tuwai of Fiji celebrates scoring a try against Australia

The Australians scored in the first minute but Fiji replied and the contest went tit-for-tat to leave Fiji ahead 14-12 at half-time.

That rhythm continued into a cracking second-half as Australia scored first before Fiji levelled to leave the teams tied 21-21, before substitute John Stewart scored the winner for a 26-19 victory.

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Slone Molia of New Zealand runs to score a try during the match beetween New Zealand and the United States
Image: Sione Molia of New Zealand in action against the United States

New Zealand had to dig deep in Pool D. The Kiwis beat Samoa 24-12, came from 19-7 down to edge Argentina 21-19 through a last-minute try by Sione Molia and eventually prevailed 22-12 over the United States.

The US, without Sevens' player of the year Perry Baker, lost all three pool matches and Samoa advanced as the runner-up.

England will play Australia on Saturday, South Africa play Samoa, while New Zealand face Kenya.

Meanwhile, Australia won the women's final beating the United States 34-0.

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