Hong Kong SVNS - Men, Day Three
LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the men’s drama on Day Three at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.
SVNS series leaders Argentina failed to make the quarterfinals despite winning a thriller against Great Britain in their final pool stage game, while Ireland, France, Australia and defending champions New Zealand advanced to the final four.
Follow all the Day Three action below!
Final
France 7 – 10 New Zealand
The stage is set and it’s all systems go! New Zealand start out the blocks with some ferocious defense that forces the penalty with a chance to strike first. The French would not go quiet into the night as they defend for the lives to force the turnover and shift momentum back into their favor. Both teams refused to give an inch as play shifted to both sides of the field with neither team able to come away with points on the board in the first half.
Scott Curry would be the difference as he shakes off a few niggles to score in the corner and put New Zealand ahead in the final. Some frantic play by the French would cost them as a no look pass is plucked out the air for New Zealand to score second and grab a hold on the game. France will feel hard done by as they manage to score with a second left on the clock but the referee calls time and New Zealand are crowned Hong Kong SVNS champions.
Third-place play-off
Ireland 14 – 5 Australia
Ireland show determined defense in the contest with a number of turnovers that rewarded them with the first two tries of the match. They would survive a late surge from Australia being pinned back in their own 22m to end the first half at fourteen points to zero. Australia struggles continue both on defense and in keeping possession as they would score with ten seconds left to play with a chance to take the game into over-time. It was not to be as the missed conversion kick ensured that Ireland did enough to finish off the tournament with third place honors.
Semifinals
Ireland 10 – 26 France
It’s the the number 2 seeded team versus the number 4 of the competition which surely promised to bring fireworks in a high quality contested semi-final. France dealt the first blow with a converted try shortly after the kick-off. Ireland obliged with a score of their own but remained in the chase as they trailed by two points. France would continue to stay ahead and never look back as they made light-work of the Irish in the end running in four tries, only missing one conversion while Ireland would score one more time but just could not cope against a clinical French performance who advance to their second consecutive cup final.
Australia 7 – 26 New Zealand
It’s a Bledisloe showdown between these two Trans-Tasman foes. New Zealand came away with the first points of the game but their nerves would remain unsettled as they led by five points. Australia would be the next to strike and convert from a set-piece right on the All Black’s 5m line to take the lead. New Zealand would get a set-piece chance of their own which gave them back the lead in a score by Cook-Savage as they retained their five point lead at the break. The lead would not change hands again but rather increase as New Zealand’s defense stayed strong to edge their neighbors and setup up a thrilling final against the French.
Fifth-place play-off
Fiji 33 – 14 South Africa
It’s a classic clash between two old rivals as Fiji took an early lead with some electric team-play. They followed up with a sensational regather off the kick-off to score their second try that gave the Blitzboks a hill to climb to get back into the game. That hill would quickly turn into Everest as a yellow card in the second half would open up the flood gates for Fiji to freestyle their way home to victory with five tries to two and seal their position as fifth place finalists in this competition.
Seventh-place play-off
United States 19 – 17 Spain
Spain were the first to get their name on the scoreboard, courtesy of Lopez, two minutes into the game. USA responded swiftly with a converted try of their own giving them a 2-point lead. The jousting continued until Spain had their armour pierced once more a minute before the hooter when Williams scooted in through the wing to give them their second. Spain came out swinging in the second half, passing the USA defence twice to give them the lead and get the Spanish fans on their feet. Williams rained on their parade a minute before time by putting it down between the sticks, getting them a converted try to win the game by 2 points. Good contest.
Ninth-place play-off
Samoa 0 – 42 Argentina
The Ninth-place play-off started about as well as it could’ve for Argentina as they scored an early try. It set the tone for their efforts as they continued to batter the Samoan side, making it over the line twice more in the first half, Isgro securing a brace for himself. The Argentine bagged another in the second half to complete his hatrick. Samoa were not allowed to showcase anything they had to offer, being suffocated and outmaneuvered by the South Americans. Four tries in the first half and two in the second made this a romp – not the performance Samoa was looking for in their final game of the Hong Kong SVNS.
Eleventh-place play-off
Great Britain 26 – 17 Canada
Canada opened the scoring for their Eleventh-place play-off game three minutes into the fixture. Both teams looked to run it out wide and stretch the opposition as far as possible. GB managed to retaliate a couple of minutes before the half time whistle, and found the space to cruise over the line a second time just before the hooter. Hager scored for Canada, while McFarland and Homer put it down for GB in the first half. The second half was an equally contested affair, with the margin staying small up until the last minute when Canada conceded a penalty try for their infringements on their try line. The score line not telling the full story of the contest between these two sides.
