Fiji beat New Zealand 35-28 in the final of the Hong Kong Sevens on Sunday to claim their third title of the current sries.
Nayacalevu scores two tries in barnstorming final
Fiji beat New Zealand 35-28 in the final of the Hong Kong Sevens on Sunday to claim their third title of the current series.
A rampant Fiji team ran in five superb tries to New Zealand's four to claim victory in a thrilling final and close the gap at the top of the standings to just two points.
Waisea Nayacalevu scored each side of half time as an inspired and emotional Fijian team seized the initiative early on and rarely gave it up to clinch a first triumph in Hong Kong since 2009.
The teams went into half time at 14-14 after Nayacalevu and Joeli Lutumailagi crossed for Fiji and Mark Jackman twice responded for the New Zealanders.
Another gear
But Fiji found another gear after the break and scored some cracking tries with Setefano Cakau and Nikola Matawalu going over while Nayacalevu grabbed his second.
Waisake Naholo and Bryce Heem touched down as New Zealand fought to the end but Fiji's class told as they won a record 13th Hong Kong title.
In reaching their fifth Cup final of the season New Zealand kept their lead at the top of the World Series on 111 points, but the Fijians have cut that lead to just two points.
South Africa lie in third place on 93 after beating England 28-0 in a one-sided play-off for bronze.
After narrowly losing 14-7 to Fiji in their semi-final, England produced a tired display to concede two tries in each half.
Poor defence allowed Stephan Dipenaar and William Small-Smith to burst over in the opening period. Cornal Hendricks ran onto a clever kick through soon after the re-start to seal a result Branco Du Preez made even more emphatic at the death.
England had earlier enjoyed a 19-14 quarter-final win over Australia and, despite dominating for long periods against Fiji, were undone by the Pacific Islanders' razor-sharp finishing.
Wales had earlier suffered a 31-7 defeat to the Kiwis in their quarter-final while Scotland lost their Bowl semi-final to United States 28-14.
