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Sevens: Revenge is sweet for Fiji

Sunday 11th February 2007

San Diego Sevens champions!: Fiji

Fiji avenged their Wellington defeat at the hands of Samoa last weekend to beat their fellow islanders 38-24 in the San Diego Cup Final and take the title of USA Sevens champions in the fourth round of the International Rugby Board (IRB) World Sevens series.

The victory means that the four IRB Sevens World Series Cup titles so far this season have each gone to a different team with the Fijians joining South Africa, New Zealand and Samoa as Cup winners. The Fijians now join New Zealand at the top of the Series standings on 60 points, four ahead of South Africa on 56.

South Africa fought back to win the Plate Final 28-19 after a brave Scotland effort kept the Boks having to play catch up after half-time.

On the same weekend that their senior XV a side team qualified for the Rugby World Cup in France this year the Tongan Sevens team beat Argentina 22-17 to take the Bowl title in San Diego and two points for the 2006/07 Series.

USA beat Portugal 26-5 to pick up the Shield trophy in a fitting victory in front of their home crowd.

IRB SEVENS, SAN DIEGO - DAY TWO RESULTS/REPORTS

Bowl

Quarter-Finals

Portugal had a 10-7 lead going into the second half in their match against Argentina, however they didn't capitalise playing against six men as Argentina replacement Francisco Merello grabbed himself a brace of tries to end any hopes of Portugal recording their first defeat over the Pumas. Kenya had no trouble dispatching Chile as the Africans ran in five tries to record a comfortable 31-12 win. Hosts USA failed to give their home crowd something to cheer about after they got beaten by their neighbours Canada 14-7, while Tonga's Samisone Pone grabbed a hat-trick to help dispose the brave West Indies 22-5 to move on to the semis.

Argentina 17 Portugal 10
Kenya 31 Chile 12
USA 7 Canada 14
Tonga 22 West Indies 5

Semi-finals

Argentina held off a brave challenge from Kenya to book themselves a place in the Bowl final after recording a satisfactory 22-5 win. Alfredo Lalanne grabbed a brace of tries for the Pumas, while Francisco Bosch and Merrello also walked away with five pointers apiece. Sidney Ashioya picked up the only try for Kenya, and it was certainly the best try in the game as the speedster showed the true meaning of pace as he raced untouched from his own 22 to score in the second half. Though it was too little too late as Kenya waved the US crowd goodbye.

Tonga scored an early try through Siale Lolohea after ducking under a soft tackle to score with just 30 seconds played. Canada replied soon after with a twisting, side-stepping run by Phil Mack. Canada continued to press with Meechan enjoying a fine 40-metre run following a line-out win. Samisoni Pone of Tonga ran a tap penalty through a number of phases to eventually land up over the whitewash. Canada then bobbled a ball at a scrum near its own line that saw Mark Lawson touch down to give Tonga a 19-5 half-time lead. Witkowski got one back for the Canucks, but Tonga had the final say with a try to Tuatao to end the match at 24-10.

Argentina 22 Kenya 5
Tonga 24 Canada 10

Bowl Final

Tonga beat Argentina 22-17 in a thrilling Bowl Final that saw the islanders having to work hard for their win as the game went into sudden death. Dana Teagarden took charge of the match becoming the first woman to referee a senior men's competition final. In a repeat of last week's Bowl final in Wellington last week, Argentina nearly made it two from two after making a stunning comeback to score two tries in the dying seconds of the second half.

Argentina went up through Alfredo Lalanne but Tonga hit back with two tries from Siale Lolohea. The islanders then built on their half time lead with a score from Sione Langatau only for Argentina to storm back to parity with tries by Lalanne and Amelong to take the game into extra time.

Tomasi Funaki went over in the corner for the sudden death try four minutes into extra time. The Pumas argued that Funaki was taken over the touchline in mid tackle, but the linesman had the final say...much to the disgust of the entire Argentine team.

Argentina 17 Tonga 22

Shield

Semi-Finals

Portugal ran in six tries, all of them under the posts, to set up a comfortable 42-10 victory over Chile. Portugal had an early scare with Chile skipper Berti crossing over in the opening minute, but Portugal replied with three tries to give them a handy 21-5 half time lead. Pedro Leal bagged a brace of tries for Portugal and kicked all the conversions for his team. Chile did manage a late consolation try to give the score-line a tiny bit of respect.

USA brought their home crowd to their feet after a fairly decent run against the low rated West Indies. Hundly, Stanford and Gillenwater all got their names on the scoresheet to deny the West Indies a single try.

Portugal 42 Chile 10
USA 17 West Indies 0

Shield Final

Home favourites the USA fought off the challenge of series core side Portugal to build on a 14-5 half time lead and run out 26-5 winners. The Eagles went ahead through forward Todd Clever, Pedro Leal pulled one back for Tomaz Morais' side before Takudzwa Ngwenya scorched home for the 14-5 lead at the break. The second half saw Al Caravelli's side maintain their stranglehold and delighted the crowd with further tries for Naqica and Osborne to hammer home their authority.

Bruce Sprinsteen's 1980's hit 'Born in the USA' played through the baseball stadium as the Eagles did a lap of honour to give thanks to the overwhelming support they had been given from their home crowd.

USA 26 Portugal 5

Plate

Semi-final

South Africa beat England 21-14 in a closely contested semi-final encounter. Bobo struck early for the Boks to give his side a 7-0 lead with hardly a minute up on the clock. Stick followed soon after when England's attempt to spoil a Bok pass went against them. Stick converted his own try to put the score at a handy 14-0 lead. Shabbo scored for England immediatelly afterwards to give his team something to smile about at the break. Shabbo continued where he left off in the first half by stretching out to score after taking a crash ball off the line-out. Ill-discipline from the Boks cost them dearly. Skipper Mokeuna was given two minutes after testing the ref's patience one time too many. England failed to captalise with six players on the field and fell short after Bobo picked up his second with a minute remaining. Mbiyozo was the second Bok to be yellow carded, but the damage had already been done and England said their farewells to the San Diego crowd.

Scotland pulled out all the stops to beat Australia 17-7 and deny the men in green and gold their first Plate Final of the season. The Aussies got off to a fine start with Niwa dotting down under the posts after hanging on to a good inside pass from Anthony Sauer. Scotland struck back soon after thanks to a quick tap penalty by Adamson. Luke Milton of Australia was given his marching orders that ultimatelly led to Mark Robinson using some good soccer skills to touch down in the corner. That gave the Scots a well earned 10-7 half-time lead. Colin Shaw extended that lead in the second half after following up a good chip ahead with some exellent finishing. Australia had two chances of staging a comeback, but were foiled by individualism and silly offside play.

South Africa 21 England 14
Australia 7 Scotland 17

Plate Final

The Boks of South Africa had to come from behind in the penultimate match at PETCO Park but did so to beat Scotland 28-19 and take the Plate trophy. In doing so they also take eight valuable points for the IRB Sevens World Series to lie four points behind leaders New Zealand and Fiji.

Gcobani Bobo gave Paul Treu's side an early lead after picking up his good form where he left it against England in the semi-final earlier. But Scotland hit back through Mike Adamson and then Mark Robertson, following good work from wing Thom Evans, to lead 14-7 at the break.

South Africa woke up in the second half after Mpho Mbiyozo caught the Scots napping and strolled over under the posts. Bok hardman Schoeman was forced off the field with a horrible looking gash on his face. His big presence was exposed when Lee Kibble sneaked in after a botched South Africa scrum allowed the Scot to pick up a loose ball and score. Scotland re-gained the lead through that try, but were unsuccessful with the conversion. Howard Noble turned on the gas for South Africa as the Boks used the full width of the field to good effect. Noble sprinted 70 meters for an extraordinary try that put the Boks back in front. Captain Jonathan Mokuena wrapped up the proceeding a minute later to take the South Africa out of Scotland's reach. Scottish coach Stephen Gemmell will be heartened by his side's considerable improvement since the start of the season.

South Africa 21 Scotland 14

Cup competition

Quarter-Finals

South Africa gave up a 14-0 half time lead to allow the Fijians back into the game thanks to a try by Sevens legend Waisale Serevi and a brace by Sevens legend-in-the-making William Ryder. At 21-14 and with just seconds left on the stadium clock, South Africa's Marius Schoeman managed to take two defenders with him over their own try-line to set up a crucial conversion for Mzwandile Stick five meters in from the touchline. Stick landed a beauty of a drop-kick to set up sudden death in extra time. Fiji had lost Nabuliwaqa to a red card just moments before Schoeman's try and had an uphill battle with just six players on the field. However, after an aimless kick from South Africa's Howard Noble down Ryder's throat - the Fijian dangerman started a counter-attack that would end in Mosese Volavola crossing over for the match-winner.

New Zealand built on a 5-0 half time lead in a tight game with England to run out 19-7 winners, Tomasi Cama jinxing through for a score either side of the break. England suffered an early blow to the match when star player Rob Thirlby was stretchered off with a knee injury.

France made their first semi-final of the season after a dramatic late try by Farid Sid took them clear of Australia, 10-7. The win was there for the taking for both sides, but silly indiscipline by Anthony Sauer cost the Australians two minutes with only six players on the field. Sid came on as a second half replacement and used his pace to dot down with just one minute remaining on the clock.

The French set up a semi-final clash with Samoa after the islanders proved too strong for Scotland, building on a 15-0 half time lead to take their quarter-final 34-0. The Scots were never allowed into the match as the Samoans used their brute strengh to out-muscle their opponents six tries to nill. Jerry Meafou crossed the whitewash twice for the Samoans who have made it into their second consecutive Cup semi-final in as many weeks.

Fiji 26 South Africa 21
New Zealand 19 England 7
Australia 7 France 10
Samoa 34 Scotland 0

Semi-finals

The New Zealand Sevens team lost to Fiji for the second time in nine days at the IRB series event in San Diego on Monday. The Fijians took a 19-10 win in the semi-finals after falling at the same stage in Wellington 31-0 last Saturday.
Edwin Cocker opened the scoring for the Kiwis before Mosese Volavola replied for the series champions as they took a 7-5 lead. Nasoni Roko pushed the Fijians to a 12-5 half time after he regathered a William Ryder kick ahead. The Kiwis made a bad start to the second half with Nigel Hunt kicking the ball out on the full from the restart and Fiji took advantage with a try under the sticks to Volavola. That gave the Fijians a 19-5 lead with five minutes to go. Fiji's Etonia Naba was sinbinned for using a forearm in a tackle but the Kiwis could only add a Solomon King consolation try with just 30 seconds left.

Samoa continued their dominance in the tournament by sweeping past a hapless France team 38-0. The French were never allowed in the match, and when they were - the Les Bleus managed to knock-on whilst grounding the ball under the Samoan's posts. Early Samoa knock-ons and a forward pass saved the French from total embarrasement. Iosua bagged a brace for the islanders, while Pesamino's touchdown in the second half earned him the title of the tournament's top try-scorer (which would later be taken over by William Ryder of Fiji). Senio, Otto and Mai also got involved in the semi-final onslaught.

New Zealand 10 Fiji 19
Samoa 38 France 0

Cup Final

Fiji were rampant in the Cup Final as the current Sevens Series champs made light work of a tough Samoa outfit, with Semisi Naevo and William Ryder again in irresistible form to guide Waisale Serevi's men home with a 38-24 win to lift the San Diego Sevens trophy.

Two first half tries by the fantastic William Ryder, plus efforts by Nasoni Roko and Etonia Naba to Samoa's sole score by Uale Mai took Fiji to a 26-7 lead at the break.

Ryder struck almost immediatelly as the Fiji star slammed the ball under the posts with 30 seconds gone on the clock.Mai showed his island neighbours he was up for the challenge by evading a tackle to score in similar fashion as Ryder to even the scores. Roko wasted little time in getting his team back in the lead after Naba sucked in two defenders to send the pace man in for try number two. Ryder showed his phenominal acceleration off the mark by strolling in for his second try of the match. That score also took him to tournament highest try-scorer. Naba rubbed salt into the Samoa wounds by running three meters to place the ball down after collecting the ball from an earlier turn-over at the break-down. That score gave Fiji a comfortable 26-7 lead into half-time.

Samoa mounted a comeback in the second half but to no effect. Fiji made sure the men in blue had no space to even breath. Fiji legend Serevi too the field to savour the obvious victory with four minutes left on the clock. Though perhaps he was counting his chickens before they hatched, as Samoa's young star Iosua went over after stepping inside after collecting a huge pass from Mai. Nabuliwaqa caused more Samoa heartache after Iosua over ran a kick ahead, leaving the chasing Fijian to pick up after him and score out wide.

Samoa were helped with a penalty try after Fiji were penalised for a deliberate knock-on when the five-pointer was on for Samoa. The Samoans would have been hoping for more of those when Saukawa knocked the final nail in the neighbouring islanders coffin. The big Fijian flopped over in the corner after taking off on a 50 meter run and brushing off two Samoans on his journey to the try-line. Meafou got a consolation for Samoa at the sound of the full-time hooter, but the Fijians were already in celebrations before the Samoan had even dived over the whitewash.

Fiji 38 Samoa 24