SVNS World Series - Vancouver men
DAY ONE WRAP: We bring you all the Day One men’s action from BC Place, Vancouver – the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
Former World Rugby’s 15-a-side Player of the Year Antoine Dupont set to make SVNS debut for France.
Argentina leads the SVNS standings from Fiji and Australia.
Pool A
It did not take long for Fiji to get their tournament underway having scored a try against the men from Spain within the first two minutes of the game. Their second try would shortly ensue thereafter from a pick up from the scrum that was all too simple for the Fijians to break away to a comfortable two try lead. Spain do well to pull a try back but it didn’t take long for Fiji to reply to walk in their third try of the game before the end of the first half. Spain are given their chances in the second half but it’s a match of boys vs men as Fiji find gaps in the field all too easily, notably with Ponipate Loganimasi getting his hatrick in the game.
The host nation put on a brave effort against the No.1 seeded team in this tournament in Argentina having not beaten the South Americans in their last 5 encounters. The scoreboard would only change with 1 minute left on the clock as Argentina go into the second half only 7 points up. Canada give their home crowd something to cheer about as a cut-out pass out-wide opens up the space to for the try as they trail Argentina by 2 points with 4 minutes left to go. Jack Carson gets the crowd on their feet as it’s a dazzling showcase of supportive play that gets Canada in the lead with not a lot of time left to go. Ultimately, the Argentineans show why they’re the number 1 team as they keep their nerve to shut out a very close game that could have gone either way.
This crowd has been instrumental to the home-side’s performances today as the men from Canada put together an incredible first half performance to give the Fijian’s an early scare who just about manage to lead at half time with 2 points being the difference. The home-side would stay in the game until the very end but its a classic coast to coast try for Fiji to score on the hooter to get a victory over this spirited effort by the Canadians.
Argentina continued to show just how good they are getting as they hurried to a two try lead before letting Spain score their first and only try of the game. The second half would be a lot more clinical for them as they would run in a furthe four more tries without conceding more points. Argentina keep their good form and will surely look to be favourites again in Canada after another impressive first day.
Results
Fiji 31-14 Spain
Argentina 12-10 Canada
Fiji 22-12 Canada
Argentina 38-7 Spain
Pool B
It’s all eyes on Pool B with Antoine Du Pont making his debut for the French 7’s national side but the world will have to wait awhile longer as he starts off the bench. The USA get the first points on the scoreboard with Lucas Lacamp having too much pace to gas the defender out-wide and get his team ahead in the game. Jordan Sepho would restore things back to all square as he is too elusive and too close to the line and then go on further to get his team ahead for the first time in the game as a handling error by USA gets him his second try of the match to end the first half at 14 – 7 to France. The crowd goes wild as Antoine Du Pont gets onto the pitch with three minutes left of the game and the morale of the French side is instantly boosted as they close out this game convincingly to beat the Americans 24 – 12.
The second game of Pool B proved to be a physical encounter but Samoa were able to break the shackles with the first try after a lot of back and forth in the opening moments of the game against Australia. James Turner would get the Aussies right back into the game to end the first half at 7 all. Samoa start the second half again with the first try and continue to keep the pressure with a second try in quick succession which give Australia a mountain to climb with less than 2 minutes left of the game. Samoa eventually run away with the game with 4 unanswered tries in the second half to open their account with 31 points to 7 against Australia.
It’s another start off the bench for Antoine Du Pont but France get out the blocks with an early lead over Samoa. France could not ask for a better to this match as run in for their third try while Samoa are given yellow card to end of the first half of the match. A fortunate last play offload in the tackle finds a player in space to give Samoa a chance in the game with second half still to come. France get off to another dream start in the second half as Jefferson Joseph plucks the ball out of the air from the restart to restore his team’s lead to three tries. With a comfortable lead and not too much time left to play, Du Pont is brought onto the field but not before Samoa is given another yellow card for foul play. The match ends in another impressive win for France and another dismal defeat for Samoa.
USA lead the half-time, 12 – 7 with all still to play for. The Australian have played well up until now but it’s the experience of Perry Baker that’s been the difference in the first half. Australia go ahead as they create their own luck with a try underneath the sticks as the game continued to ebb and flow for both teams. The lead would change hands a couple more times before in arguably the most entertaining match of the tournament so far but it’s the man of the match in Perry Baker who winds back the years to show his pace out wide to score the winning try.
Results
France 24-12 United States
Australia 31-7 Samoa
France 40-7 Samoa
Australia 26-21 United States
Pool C
The Blitzboks set the tone for the first game of the tournament as they applied the pressure from the get go, giving the Kiwi men little territory to play with taking the lead in the first half of the match by 21 points to 5. A great dummy pass by Selwyn Davids to score the last try of the half gave the men in green and gold an imposing lead and a dream start to their campaign. South Africa’s defense continued to hold in the second half having just one try slips through but it was not enough for New Zealand to comeback as the game ended in a 21 – 12 victory to the Blitzboks.
Ireland got off to an emphatic start to their game against Great Britain having regathered the ball off the first kick-off and subsequently handed Jordan Conroy the first try of the match for the Irish men. Great Britain would let one more try creep in but kept their composure to pull one try back to end the first half at 14 – 7 to Ireland. Great Britain started the second half just as the Irish did in the first with a regather off the kick-off from the restart to get themselves back in the game at 14 – 12 with 4 minutes left on the clock. It would be a tussle between these two teams until the very end but the defensive organisation of the Irish having done so well would be left in heartbreak as Will Homer sees a small gap on the blind-side and has the pace to score in the corner and steal the game at the death.
Great Britain continue their impressive performance in this tournament as they stun South Africa with a quick lead by two tries by Waddleton and Williams. To add insult to injury, the Blitzboks are having to play a period of the first half with a man short on the field. South Africa do well to weather the early storm from Great Britain as they manage to put a kick through the defense for Shilton van Wyk to win the foot race for the try to end the first half at 12 – 5 to Great Britain. The pressure continues to mount for South Africa as they return to a 2 try deficit with time running out. The game down to the wire as South Africa score a try with a minute left on the clock but Great Britain get the penalty for holding on at the ruck and kick to the ball into touch to end off an exciting match.
It’s a much improved performance by New Zealand as they lead the first half 14 – 0. Ireland had too many errors that cost them from their handling to their discipline. They will feel lucky to have not conceded a late try before the end of the first half which ultimately gave them hope to still win this match which has been all for men from New Zealand. The Irish do well to stay in the match but all that they’ll come away with is a bonus point defeat which could be crucial to their campaign while New Zealand get an important victory to theirs alive.
Results
South Africa 21-12 New Zealand
Ireland 14-17 Great Britain
South Africa 12-17 Great Britain
Ireland 14-19 New Zealand
