All Blacks Sevens go back to back

Fiji’s bid for sevens silverware has come up short yet again as Samoa’s World Cup tournament ended in controversy in San Francisco.

Gordon Langkilde was benched for Samoa’s games in the consolation rounds after a stormy end to Wales’ 24-19 win over the South Pacific islanders on Saturday. Uganda lost to Chile 20-17 at the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup.

New Zealand fought back strongly in the second half though and cut off France’s possession before taking the lead through tries from Kurt Baker and Joe Ravouvou.

But for SA it was a case of what might have been.

Scotland claimed seventh place overall after Jamie Farndale scored two late tries in a 29-24 win over against France, while Ireland secured a 24-14 win over Australia in the Challenge Cup final to finish ninth.

Two tries to Sione Molia, converted by Kurt Baker, gave the kiwi men the ideal start. That left her one behind USA flyer Naya Tapper, who bagged both of her team’s tries in the bronze match.

“They all played well”, said John.

England captain Tom Mitchell said defeat in the final was bittersweet.

Springbok Sevens coach, Neil Powell, said they were happy with the medal, although not the colour.

“To die in that last game against Ireland, they’re a good side, but we went away from things we’ve spoke about and it’s disappointing”, captain Lewis Holland said.

Aided by some confusing decision-making by the referee at the contact area during critical periods of play, the Chileans beat Hong Kong for a second time on the trot this season, after having ushered the hosts out of the World Series qualifier in April at the Hong Kong Stadium.

“As disappointed as we were in the performance against England, so happy we were in beating Fiji for that bronze medal”. Mitchell’s effort, in particular, should have sounded warning bells for the Blitzboks, as it came off a restart win – an aspect the South Africans take great pride in.

New Zealand’s men and women’s teams now hold world titles in both seven-a-side and 15-a-side versions of the game.

“It’s amazing‚ very hard to put into words”.

‘I’m just so proud of the effort throughout the weekend and we were so close in the games against Samoa and U.S., and the way that the guys played against South Africa was excellent so I’m just so proud of the boys’. “Credit to England‚ who played really well”.

Earlier in the semi-final, the hosts from United States of America gave the Kiwis a scare, in a 21-26 loss, as the only team in the tournament to score points against the imposing form displayed by the women in black over the past two days. We knew it was going to be tough. “We really rose to beat Fiji and we did well to beat an awesome England team, who were the form team”.