Flying Fijians stun defending champs
Fiji came back from a Day One loss to stun the defending champions New Zealand, winning 26-12 in the Cup Final at the Gold Coast Sevens, Round One on the IRB World Series circuit.
It was the Flying Fijians’ first tournament win in over a year and came after they lost 5-28 to the Kiwis in pool play 24 hours earlier.
It will see the Fijians, 2006/07 winners of the IRB World Series, take an early in the standings in the 2011/12 version of the global circuit – which now heads to Dubai next week and Port Elizabeth a week later.
The Fijians travel to Dubai with 22 points, three clear of New Zealand and five ahead of third-placed South Africa.
Earlier in the semifinals the Series defending champion Kiwis beat the hosts Australia 26-7, whilst the Pacific Islanders proved too strong for Paul Treu’s South African side, eventually winning 24-7.
South Africa recovered to beat Australia 17-5 in the new play-off for third place and secure 17 points towards the Series.
We bring you all the play-off action!
Cup Final:
Fiji’s Sevens stars responded to the hopes and dreams of a nation by beating reigning World Series champions New Zealand 26-12 in the Final to take an early lead to the new season.
After emotional national anthems, Fiji’s inspirational 33-year-old captain Setefano Cakau set the tone for a superb Final when he threw a dummy and raced 50 metres to put his side into a 7-0 lead.
Cakau left the field injured before half-time, and not before Tomasi Cama had cut the deficit to two points and then put New Zealand 12-7 ahead when he set up an attacking move and then latched onto Tim Mikkelson’s raking run to score his second before half-time.
After the break the Fijians lost another key player in Osea Kolinisau, but they levelled when Joeli Lutumailagi raced clear to score, and a minute later they turned over the ball in New Zealand’s 22 and found Emosi Vucago in space to lead 19-12.
Watisoni Votu crossed to cap a thrilling attacking build-up and the Fijians led 26-12, a lead they held onto until the final whistle sparked mass celebration.
Result:
New Zealand 12-26 Fiji
Third-place play-off:
South Africa collected a handy 17 points on the IRB standings when they comprehensively beat Australia 17-5 in the first-ever third-place play-off match on the series circuit.
First-half tries by Chris Dry and Paul Delport – the latter while Bernado Botha was in the sin-bin for a high tackle – saw the BlitzBokke take a 12-0 lead into the break.
Johannes Prinsloo put the matter beyond doubt late in the second half, which left just enough time for Pama Fou to get a consolation score after the full-time hooter.
Result:
Australia 5-17 South Africa
Plate Final:
A young Welsh squad defeated Samoa 26-15 in the Plate Final to collect 13 Series points. Richard Habberfield crossed twice in the victory as Paul John’s side recovered from their Cup quarterfinal defeat to Fiji to lift the Plate.
Harry Robinson opened the scoring for Wales, before Robert Lilomaiava replied for the Pacific Islanders. But a Tom Habberfield try gave Wales a 14-5 half-time lead.
Tom Prydie scored a lethal blow with an early second-half try and while Alatasi Tupou pulled one back, Tom Habberfield put it beyond doubt, before Afa Aiono got a late consolation score.
Result:
Samoa 15-26 Wales
Bowl Final:
Argentina defeated Scotland to lift the Bowl title and collect eight Series points.
Peter Horne opened the scoring for Scotland, but Federico Salazar and Manuel Montero scored to put the Pumas in the lead. Andrew Turnbull regained the lead for the Scots, but with just on three minutes left on the clock Manuel Montero got the match-winner.
Result:
Argentina 17-14 Scotland
Shield Final:
Shane Howarth’s Papua New Guinea beat Japan 31-19 in the Shield final to collect three Series points, and lift the first silverware of the new Series.
Result:
Japan 19-31 Papua New Guinea
Cup semifinals
New Zealand reached the Cup Final after beating hosts Australia 26-7 with Tomasi Cama scoring twice and Frank Halai and Charles Piutau also crossing for Gordon Tietjens’ side.
They will face Fiji who beat South Africa 24-7 thanks to tries from Jimilai Naikadawa, Osea Kolinisau, Setefano Cakau and Emosi Vucago.
Results:
New Zealand 26-7 Australia
Fiji 24-7 South Africa
Plate semifinals
Samoa will face Wales in the Plate Final after a physical 17-14 victory against England.
Paul Perez began the scoring in the semifinal, scoring Samoa’s first two tries either side of a Mat Turner effort. Tauelangi Afamasaga extended the lead before Turner’s second gave England a glimmer of hope, but Stephen Betham’s men held on.
Wales’ semifinal was also a physical encounter, even spiteful at times, which they won 14-12 against France as Tom Hubberfield and Richard Smith both scored tries in the victory.
Results:
England 14-17 Samoa
Wales 14-12 France
Bowl semifinals
Argentina will play Scotland in the Bowl Final, after Los Pumas defeated Tonga 24-15, including a great individual effort from Agustin Migliore out wide to secure the victory.
Scotland had beaten the United States 19-5, with Ross Miller crossing twice.
Results:
Tonga 15-24 Argentina
Scotland 19-5 United States
Shield semifinals
Japan booked their place in the Shield final after Katsuyuki Sakai snatched a dramatic last minute 19-14 victory against core side Kenya.
They will face Papua New Guinea in the Final after Shane Howarth’s side beat Niue 38-0 thanks to 16 points (two tries and three conversions) from Albert Levi.
Results:
Kenya 14-19 Japan
Niue 0-38 Papua New Guinea
Cup quarterfinals
New Zealand beat England in the first Cup quarterfinal 24-14 thanks to two tries from Frank Halai and Lote Raikabula’s sixth try of the tournament and they will face Australia in the first semifinal.
The hosts narrowly beat Samoa 14-12, holding on at the death with just six men left on the field, after captain Ed Jenkins and Lewis Holland had crossed for Michael O’Connor’s side.
Wales’ reward for beating England on day one was a Cup quarterfinal against Fiji, which they lost 5-33 despite taking an early 5-0 lead through Owen B Williams. Jimilai Naikadawa scored twice in the victory, and the Pacific Islanders now face South Africa.
Chris Dry and Rob Ebersohn both scored for Paul Treu’s side in the 14-7 victory against France as they search for their third successive Cup title having won the last two on offer at the end of the 2010/11 Series.
Results:
New Zealand 24-14 England
Samoa 12-14 Australia
Wales 5-33 Fiji
South Africa 14-5 France
Bowl quarterfinals
In the Bowl competition Tonga beat Kenya in the day’s first match 7-5 to set up a semifinal against Argentina, who came from 7-12 behind to eventually win 26-12 thanks to two tries from Javier Ortega Desio. Manuel Montero also added his fifth of the weekend in the victory.
Scotland proved too strong for Niue in the third Bowl quarterfinal, recording a 36-0 victory including a try for captain Colin Gregor, two from Ross Miller and a James Fleming hat-trick.
USA ended the Bowl quarterfinals with their 24-5 victory against Papua New Guinea including two tries from Nick Edwards.
Results:
United States 24-5 Papua New Guinea
Scotland 36-0 Niue
Argentina 38-12 Japan
Kenya 5-7 Tonga
