Fiji beat New Zealand to claim a 15th triumph at the Hong Kong sevens
Monday 30 March 2015 16:47, UK
Fiji have triumphed in the Hong Kong Sevens after producing a brilliant display to beat defending champions New Zealand 33-19 in the final.
The Fijians had earlier beaten England 14-12 in an exciting quarter-final, before getting the better of South Africa 21-15 in the semis.
The All Blacks ran out 31-21 quarter-final winners over Argentina but then squeaked past Samoa 15-14, squandering a 12-0 lead and needing a late Joe Webber drop kick to put them into the final.
However, Fiji were in unstoppable form in the decider, producing some brilliant handling as they powered into a 14-0 lead thanks to tries from Savenaca Rawaca and Jerry Tuwai.
Rawaca then went over again after a mistake from Webber but it was 21-5 at the interval, the All Blacks having opened their account when Beaudine Waaka went over.
Scott Curry then scored the first of two second-half tries as New Zealand threatened a comeback but Fiji responded with a try from Jasa Veremalua.
Curry went over again with three minutes left but Fiji secured their record 15th Hong Kong Sevens triumph when Apisai Domolailai scored a brilliant try from the restart.
England had pushed Fiji very hard in an intense quarter final earlier in the day, in which both sides had players sent to the sin-bin in the second half.
Having been on the defensive virtually throughout the first half and fallen behind to a Phil Burgess try, Fiji scored just before half-time through Pio Tuwai and made it 14-5 in the second-half when they were awarded a penalty try.
England’s Dan Norton was sent to the sin-bin for his part in that incident but returned to score the converted try which gave England a chance in the closing stages.
However, although they recovered the restart and made it to within yards of the try-line, they were kept at bay by some heroic Fiji defending.
Hong Kong was the sixth tournament in the nine-stage Sevens World Series, which ends in London in May.
The top four teams in the final standings will secure a place in Brazil, where sevens rugby will make its Olympic debut next summer.
England and Australia are tussling for the crucial fourth spot in the series standings with three tournaments to go, while South Africa, New Zealand and Fiji are well ahead on points in the top three spots.
South Africa still lead the way on 110 points after thrashing Samoa 26-5 to take third but Fiji have gone second on 108, a point clear of New Zealand.
Australia are currently fourth and, although they lost 7-5 to South Africa in their quarter-final, they beat England 12-7 in the runners-up plate tournament, which stretched the gap between the teams to six points.
The Australians then took the plate final, beating USA 21-17 in an exciting battle against a pacy American side.
