Canada upset England in Vegas

 

Hosts USA recorded two wins on day one of their home tournament in Las Vegas to book their place in a third successive Cup quarterfinal at the USA Sevens.

 

Having earlier recorded their biggest ever win over Japan to get their campaign underway thanks to a brace from speedster Carlin Isles, Zack Test then scored one of the best tries of the day in their 19-7 defeat of Portugal to ensure they would progress to the last eight at the Sam Boyd Stadium.

 

They will be joined by defending champions and series leaders South Africa, who are chasing a third consecutive title in Las Vegas, New Zealand and Fiji, who all won their opening two matches on day one in front of a 15,294 strong crowd.

 

We look at the Day One action!

New Zealand sit top of Pool A heading into day two after toughing out a 15-5 victory over a determined Samoa. 

 

Joe Webber and Ambrose Curtis crossed for firsthalf tries as the All Black Sevens established a 10-0 lead.

 

Samoa Toloa posted Samoa's first try of the tournament after sustained pressure on the All Blacks goal line, reducing the margin to 10-5 before Gillies kaka defied his size to crash over out-wide moments later.

 

Fiji survived a late scare from Wales holding out for a 28-24 win, despite leading 28-0.

 

Tries to Villiame Mata, a runaway to Savenaca Rawaca and a double to captain Osea Kolinisau had the crowd in raptures before Wales struck back through Samual Cross, Luke Morgan, Aled Jenkins and Will Harries.

 

Earlier, a Scott Curry hat-trick was the highlight of New Zealand's 40-7 win over Wales as the defending series champions picked up where they left off in Wellington last week.

 

Gordon Tietjens' side raced to a 21-0 at the break as captain Curry bagged a double and Lote Raikabula also crossed to score.

 

Raikabula claimed his second shortly after the break before a neat-stepping Sherwin Stowers extended the lead to 33-0.

 

Curry brought up his hat-trick just shy of fulltime before a late consolation to Wales' Dan Fish.

 

In the battle of the Pacific islands Fiji scored six unanswered tries defeating Samoa 36-0.

 

After both sides started brightly Fiji's Samisoni Viriviri lit up the stadium with three quick tries in a matter of minutes to take a 19-0 lead into the break. 

 

Second half tries to Emosi Mulivero, Vatemo Ravouvou and Semi Kunatani rounded out the win.

 

Fiji 36-0 Samoa

New Zealand 40-7 Wales

Fiji 28-24 Wales

New Zealand 15-5 Samoa

The race for a spot in the last eight is wide open in Pool B with each side recording one win apiece.

 

Canada pulled off the first major upset of the tournament with a win over England in a highly entertaining fixture, Adam Zaruba crashing over outwide to steal a 15-12 win.

 

England jumped out to a 12-0 lead after Charlie Hayter and Tom Mitchell made the  most of their touches but Canada clawed their way back into the match with a try either side of half time to Lucas Hammond and Harry Jones before Zaruba's late match-winner.

 

A brace from Argentina's Franco Sabato helped secure Los Pumas' 19-14 win over Kenya.

 

Leading 14-7 at half time through tries to Sabato and Nicolas Coronel, Argentina controlled much of the second half before Sabato's second stretched the lead to 19-7. 

 

Billy Odhiambo gave Kenya a chance with a late try to reduce the margin to 19-14 but time was against them.

 

In round one action, England defeated Argentina 19-17 after Los Pumas had the run of play early leading 10-0 through tries from German Schulz and Santiago Alvarez before John Brake reduced the margin to three with a converted try on half time.

 

England's fight back continued in the second half with a converted try to captain Mitchell giving them a 14-10 lead. 

 

Brake's second extended England's lead before Nicolas Coronel reduced the final margin to two on the stroke of full-time.

 

Trailing 14-12 at half time and 21-12 with three minutes remaining Kenya left it right to the death to beat Canada 22-21, Billy Odhiambo the hero scoring the match-winner after Danial Sikuta scored a brace in his side's exciting one-point win.

 

Kenya 22-21 Canada

England 19-17 Argentina

Kenya 14-19 Argentina

England 12-15 Canada

oth South Africa and the USA have secured quarter finals berths with two solid wins apiece from their first two pool matches.

 

After accounting for Portugal 19-0 earlier in the day, South Africa continued on their winning way in round two with a 35-5 win over Japan.

 

Tries to Frankie Horne, Seabelo Senatla (2) Ryno Benjamin and Cecil Afrika setting up the win.

 

The USA secured their passage to the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 19-7 win over Portugal.

 

Danny Barrett scored first for the USA but a converted try to Carl Murray gave Portugal a two point lead.

 

Perry Baker was rewarded for good support play with a try on half time to give the hosts a 12-7 lead before a sustained passage of good ball movement from the USA mid-way through the second half saw Zack Test on the receiving end of a great pass from Andrew Durutalo to score under the posts on his 50th series event.

 

In a tight match in round one, three runaway tries to South Africa's Senatla, Benjamin and Werner Kok gave the defending champions a 19-0 win over Portugal after leading 12-0 at the break.

 

Benjamin's try got the fans on their feet early, receiving a deft one-handed pass from Kyle Brown before racing away to score.

 

The USA opened with an impressive 52-12 win over Japan, Test marking his 50th appearance for the Eagles by posting the first points for his side.

 

A try to Durutalo soon after gave the hosts a handy 14-0 lead before Isles' brace, including a serious show of speed for his first, came next. 

 

The USA raced away in the second half with three further tries before Japan hit back with late tries to Lomano Lemeki and Chihito Matsui. 

 

USA 52-12 Japan

South Africa 19-0 Portugal

USA 19-7 Portugal

South Africa 42-5 Japan

A quarter final berth beckons for Australia after two solid wins sees them well placed at the top of the pool but must wait on a day two match against Scotland to confirm their place in the top eight. 

 

Scotland bounced back from a heart-breaking loss to France earlier in the day scoring six tries to two in their 38-14 win over Brazil. 

 

James Johnstone and Chris Dean among Scotland's best both scoring doubles. 

 

Brothers Moises and Lucas Duque were enterprising for Brazil, both crossing for five-pointers.

 

A first half brace to Pama Fou paved the way for Australia's 31-14 victory over France in round two action. 

 

Fou and Ed Jenkins scored five-pointers before Julien Candelon broke through down the middle to score under the posts reducing the margin to 14-7. 

 

Fou's second just on half time gave Australia a 17-7 lead but Les Bleus were back in it just after the break when Virimi Vakatawa broke through for his side's second of the match. Cameron Clark edged his side ahead again with a late double for a winning lead.

 

Earlier, Australia ran out comfortably 45-0 winners over 2016 Olympic hosts Brazil.

 

Inspirational captain Ed Jenkins raced 50 metres down the right flank to score first for Australia before a Con Foley double had Geraint John's men up 21-0 at the break. 

 

Four unanswered tries in the second stanza to Lewis Holland, Nick Malouf and a Sam Myers double secured the win against a luckless Brazil.

 

France came from behind to beat Scotland 19-7 after the Scots posted first points through the ever-dangerous Mark Robertson. 

 

A brace to Jonathan Laugel either side of the break gave France a 14-7 lead.

 

With three minutes remaining Terry Bouhraoua raced away for Les Blues third try putting the result beyond doubt. 

 

Scotland 7-19 France

Australia 45-0 Brazil

Scotland 28-14 Brazil

Australia 31-14 France