Sydney Sevens: Hosts join big guns in semis
In the first of the Cup semifinals arch rivals New Zealand and Fiji will go head-to-head for place in Final.
South Africa face Australia in the other Cup semifinal.
The hosts, Australia, required a dramatic extra-time try to edge England 17-12 in a thrilling encounter.
The BlitzBoks were simply too powerful for Argentina and their rock solid defence, combined with the sublime skills and Cheslin Kolbe and Rosco Spekman saw them shut out Los Pumas for a 26-0 win.
New Zealand absolutely demolishing anything in front of them against the United States to race to a comfortable 24-7 win.
Kenya improved after a slow start, but the damage had been done in the first half as Fiji recorded a 28-12 win – despite an Oscar Ayodi second-half double.
Portugal, Samoa, Canada and Scotland all tasted victory in the Bowl quarterfinals. Portugal will face Samoa, with Canada taking on the Scots for a place in the Bowl Final.
* All the Day One action – Round One; Round Two and Round Three!
Cup quarterfinals
New Zealand v United States
After the United States initially put up some stern resistance, New Zealand absolutely demolished anything in front of them – physicality setting them apart.
Yellow cards to New Zealand captain Tim Mikkelson and American counterpart Madison Hughes was followed by tries by Ben Lam and Augustine Pulu – which gave the Kiwis a 12-0 lead at half-time.
Rieko Ioane and Mikkelson added tries after the break as New Zealand's greater physicality saw them race to a comfortable victory.
Fiji 28-12 Kenya
Early tries by Isake Katonibau and Savenaca Rawaca put Fiji in command agai
nst an error-prone Kenyan team. Rawaca scored a second try – to take his tally to six so far in Sydney – to give Fiji a 21-0 lead at the break.
Kenya hit back with an early second-half try through Oscar Ayodi, but Viliame Mata restored Fiji's dominance when he went over with four minutes remaining.
Ayodi got a second try with just under two minutes remaining, but Fiji held on for a comfortable win.
England 12-17 Australia (in sudden-death extra time – the teams were level 12-all after regulation time)
James Rodwell opened the scoring in the third minute, after a nervous start by both teams. Australia had their chances, but a combination of stern English defence and the Aussies' own high error count kept them scoreless till after the hooter for half-time had already sounded. Lewis Holland sneaked around the blindside of a ruck to get the hosts on the board – making it 7-all at the break.
The feisty nature of the contest continued after the break, with England regaining the lead through Tom Mitchell – following some great interplay between the English players – with three minutes remaining on the clock.
Henry Hutchinson then did well to break a cover tackle and get Australia's second try, making it 12-all with just seconds remaining on the clock and the game went into sudden-death extra time.
After an early England rush, a turnover and a hack-forward, Hutchinson found a way over around the blind side of a ruck to score the winner.
South Africa 26-0 Argentina
Cheslin Kolbe opened the scoring early, as South Africa pounced on an Argentina mistake and worked the ball through the phases. Los Pumas struggled to find a way through the BlitzBoks' defence and resorted to kicking, before Kolbe's sublime stepping created a second try for the playmaker – giving SA a 12-0 lead at the half-time break.
Some powerplay by Francois Hougaard, which won a breakdown turnover, allowed the stepping of Rosko Specman to set up a try for Seabelo Senatla early in the second half. Argentina's high error count further contributed to their downfall, with Albertus Smith – having recovered from a shoulder injury he suffered on day one – pouncing on another turnover for the BlitzBoks' fourth try.
Bowl quarterfinals
Portugal 31-17 Japan
After a tense first half, which ended level at 12-all, Portugal raced into a 31-12 lead with tries through Miguel Lucas and Joao Belo (two), before a late consolation score by Japan.
Samoa 28-24 Russia
Samoa had raced into a 21-0 lead, which became 21-7 at half-time, and then held a 28-7 lead just after half-time, before a late rally gave Russia some respectability.
Wales 21-32 Canada
Another game where an early lead was enough to hold off a late rally – Canada racing to a 17-0 advantage, which became 22-7 at half-time. That became 27-7, before Wales closed the gap to 21-27, but a late try by Harry Jones sealed the win for the Canucks.
Scotland 22-19 France
France, despite taking an early lead, were trailing 7-17 at half-time. When James Farndale scored soon after the restart, the 22-7 lead seemed insurmountable. France rallied with two late tries, but ultimately ran out of time.
