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2015 WELLINGTON 7s

DAY 2

HIGHLIGHTS

DEFENDING champions New Zealand have won their first title of the season, defeating England 27-21 in the fourth round of the 2014-15 HSBC Sevens World Series played at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington

The result means the All Blacks Sevens move up to second in the overall World Series standings behind South Africa, who finished third thanks to a 40-7 win over Scotland, with England moving to within two points of Australia who occupy fourth.

Earlier, England came from 19-0 behind to snatch victory against Scotland, who were appearing in only their fourth ever Cup semi-final and first outside of the UK, with Charlie Hayter scoring the winning try in sudden death extra-time for the 2013 Sevens Wellington winners.

The All Black Sevens secured their Cup final berth with a hard-fought 17-7 win over South Africa to guarantee a move into second in the overall standings, debutants Jack Goodhue and Ioane scoring second-half tries to help secure the win.

Joe Webber scored first to give New Zealand a 7-0 lead before Kwagga Smith levelled for South Africa after some good build up play from Cecil Afrika and Werner Kok. Goodhue broke a second half deadlock for the defending Wellington Sevens champions, with a 50-metre dash to the line for a 12-7 lead before Ioane was next to score for New Zealand, securing their berth in the Cup final.

Earlier, England needing sudden death extra-time in their 26-21 win over Fiji with Christian Lewis-Pratt breaking the deadlock, while Scotland came from 15-0 behind to snatch a late 19-15 win over the USA with James Fleming scoring twice.

Trailing 5-0, the current Series leaders South Africa switched into gear to defeat Kenya 19-5, scoring three tries through Cecil Afrika, Frankie Horne and Justin Geduld as they attempted to win their third consecutive title.

Defending champions and hosts New Zealand caught Australia napping early, racing away to a 19-0 lead early on through tries by Gillies Kaka, Sam Dickson and Joe Webber. Cameron Clark responded just shy of half-time to reduce the margin to 12 but Kaka's second put the match beyond reach for Geraint John's men.

PLATE FINAL: KUNATANI STARS IN FIJI WIN
Fiji were too strong for Australia scoring five unanswered tries in their 24-0 victory. A scoreless first half was looming before Fiji's Osea Kolinisau broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time after a deft pass from Semi Kunatani gave the Pacific islanders a 7-0 lead. Fiji came out full of running in the second stanza, Sitiveni Waqa then Kunatani scoring in quick succession to shut Australia out. Samisoni Viriviri put an exclamation mark on the win with a late try.

Earlier, Fiji beat the USA 12-10, holding off a second-half fight-back from the Eagles to advance to the Plate final, while Australia defeated Kenya 21-5.

BOWL FINAL: VAKATAWA CONTINUES IMPRESSIVE FORM AS FRANCE GO VICTORIOUS
Four tries in the opening half, including a double for French flyer Vakatawa who impressed with every touch all weekend, gave Les Bleus a 22-0 advantage over Argentina at half-time before Stephen Parez secured a 27-5 victory.

Earlier, France advanced to the final by defeating Wales 43-0, scoring seven unanswered tries including two from Vakatawa who continued his impressive form at the tournament. Los Pumas easily accounted for Portugal 47-12 in their semi-final, Santiago Cordero and German Schulz both scoring braces.

SHIELD FINAL: CANADA CRUISE TO WIN OVER SAMOA
Canada claimed the honours in the Shield final defeating by Samoa 26-10. Trailing 5-0 after Samoa's Gregory Foe scored five minutes in, Canada hit back with a try either side of half-time through Harry Jones and John Moonlight to lead 14-5. Further tries to Canada's Lucas Hammond and Admir Cejvanovic gave them an unassailable lead.

DAY 1

HIGHLIGHTS

USA, New Zealand, Fiji and Kenya all topped their respective pools after an enthralling day's action at the Sevens Wellington, round four of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Mike Friday's side beat France and Japan to finish on top of Pool A, only the second time the USA have won a pool on the series and the first time since 2001, also in Wellington

Kenya topped their pool, the first time they have done so since the 2013 Sevens Wellington when they went on to beat New Zealand and reach the final, to reach the Cup quarter-finals for the first time this season, with fifth placed Argentina and Gold Coast runners-up Samoa moving into the Bowl.

The current Series leaders South Africa suffered a shock 22-5 defeat to France in the opening match of the day at the Westpac Stadium, but bounced back to beat Japan and USA to move into the Cup quarter-finals on points difference ahead of Les Bleus.

In the Cup quarter-finals the USA will play Scotland, hosts New Zealand await Australia in a trans-Tasman match, Ben Ryan comes face-to-face with his old side as Fiji meet England and Kenya's reward for winning Pool D is a match with South Africa.

For the first time ever the tournament will break the 200 hours barrier for live coverage around the world with a record 19 broadcasters taking live action across the weekend, providing 212 hours of airtime reaching over 200 million homes, across 121 countries

POOL A
1 2 3 4

USA and South Africa have wrapped up top eight spots with wins in their final pool matches. Despite going down to South Africa 26-14 in the final round of matches on day one at the Westpac Stadium, Mike Friday's men qualified on top of Pool A. After finishing equal on points with both USA and South Africa, France will rue their earlier 38-7 loss to the USA which cost them a place in the Cup quarters on points difference after Zack Test scored two of his side's six tries.

The Blitzboks were pushed all the way by a spirited USA team after the score was locked 14-14 at half-time. Tries to Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith were matched by a sensational double to Perry Baker. Cecil Afrika broke the deadlock two minutes into the second stanza before Smith's second confirmed his side's place in the quarters.

After consecutive wins in Dubai and Port Elizabeth the Blitzboks sit on top of the series standings and in pole position to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but they could not stop the French in the first match of the day before Werner Kok, Senatla and Philip Snyman got them back on track with a 24-7 win over Japan.

In a highly entertaining match Japan's Lomano Lemeki gave the Brave Blossoms the early lead against USA before speedster Carlin Isles and Danny Barrett crossed for converted tries to lead 14-5 at the break. An Isles in-and-away special down the right flank extended the lead to 21-5, opening the flood gates in the second half for a 40-5 win.

POOL B
1 2 3 4

New Zealand booked a Cup quarter-final berth against Australia after defeating England 24-5 in their final pool match despite going behind to a James Rodwell try early on.

New Zealand responded immediately scoring in the opposite corner through young Rieko Ioane to tie the scores before Scott Curry broke the deadlock for the All Black Sevens two minutes into the second half, carving his way through the England defence on the way to the line. Sherwin Stowers and Ioane posted further tries for Gordon Tietjens' men in the final minute.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand's title defence started strongly with a 26-5 win over Canada. Stowers got the home side off to a good start scooting over for the first five pointer before a neat inside ball from Gillies Kaka sent 17-year-old debutant Ioane across the stripe. Kaka was at it again shortly after, this time setting up Sam Dickson for the easiest of tries and a 19-0 lead at half-time. New Zealand's fourth try came at the hands of another on debut in Beaudine Waaka before Wales posted their sole try after the siren.

POOL C
1 2 3 4

While their quarter-final places were already assured, bragging rights and first place in the pool was up for grabs as Fiji faced Australia in the Pool C decider. Ben Ryan's side came out firing with Semi Kunatani striking first for the Pacific islanders followed by the returning Samisoni Viriviri scoring his third try of the day to help secure ta 14-5 win.

After accounting for Wales in their opener Australia led 10-0 at half-time against Portugal before putting their foot down in the second half, posting a 29-0 win. Second-half tries by Cameron Clark, Pama Fou and Greg Jeloudev helped continue Australia's good form on day one while four first-half tries, including a double from Kunatani, set Fiji on their way to a 42-19 win over Wales.

Viriviri ignited the crowd with a try either side of half-time, stamping his return to the HSBC Sevens World Series in his side's 31-19 win over Portugal.

POOL D
1 2 3 4

Kenya defied their recent form in the series to assure their passage to the Cup quarter-finals with a strong 28-14 win over Samoa. Trailling 7-0, a first-half double for Kenya's Daniel Sikuta was the catalyst for his side's 21-7 half-time leadbefore Collins Injera put the result beyond doubt early in the second half.

Meanwhile, Scotland also qualified for the top eight after defeating Argentina 21-14 in their final pool match. After leading 14-7 courtesy of runaway tries to Colin Gregor and Damien Hoyland, both players among the Scots' best on day one, Gregor's second just after the break gave Scotland enough breathing space to hold out a late finishing Los Pumas.

Earlier, Hoyland's second brace in two matches gave Scotland a 14-7 half-time lead over Kenya before a quick-fire double from Billy Odhiambo gave the African side a five-point buffer, a lead they held onto for the remaining minutes.

In a tight round one contest Argentina and Kenya traded early five-pointers through Rodrigo Etchart and Bush Mwale respectively before Segundo Tuculet's converted try gave Los Pumas a five-point advantage at the break. German Schulz extended the lead to 12 before two late tries put the result beyond doubt for Argentina with a strong 31-7 result.

Hoyland's first brace of the day had the Scots up 14-0 at the break over the Pacific Islanders, eventually holding out a strong finishing Samoa for a two-point win. With his side on the comeback late in the second stanza Samoa Toloa brought the crowd to their feet, breaking a tackle on halfway before outpacing the defence to score, then Gregory Foe crossed in the corner but it was too little too late as the siren sounded.

RESULTS

SATURDAY 7th FEBRUARY 2015

Bowl Quarter Final
France 26 - 19 Samoa

Bowl Quarter Final
Wales 41 - 0 Papua New Guinea

Bowl Quarter Final
Argentina 38 - 5 Japan

Bowl Quarter Final
Canada 0 - 26 Portugal

Cup Quarter Final
USA 15 - 19 Scotland

Cup Quarter Final
Fiji 21 - 26 England

Cup Quarter Final
Kenya 5 - 19 South Africa

Cup Quarter Final
New Zealand 26 - 7 Australia

Shield Semi Final
Samoa 47 - 5 Papua New Guinea

Shield Semi Final
Japan 21 - 28 Canada

Bowl Semi Final
France 43 - 0 Wales

Bowl Semi Final
Argentina 7 - 12 Portugal

Plate Semi Final
USA 10 - 12 Fiji

Plate Semi Final
Kenya 5 - 12 Australia

Cup Semi Final
Scotland 19 - 24 England

Cup Semi Final
South Africa 7 - 17 New Zealand

SHIELD FINAL
Samoa 10 - 26 CANADA

BOWL FINAL
FRANCE 29 - 5 Argentina

PLATE FINAL
FIJI 24 - 0 Australia

THIRD PLACE
Scotland 7 - 40 SOUTH AFRICA

CUP FINAL
England 21 - 27 NEW ZEALAND

POOLS

POOL A

POOL B

POOL C

POOL D

FRIDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2015

1.	SOUTH AFRICA	5 - 22	FRANCE	Pool A
2.	UNITED STATES	40 - 5	JAPAN	Pool A
3.	AUSTRALIA	36 - 5	WALES	Pool C
4.	FIJI	31 - 19	PORTUGAL	Pool C
5.	ARGENTINA	31 - 7	KENYA	Pool D
6.	SCOTLAND	14 - 12	SAMOA	Pool D
7.	NEW ZEALAND	26 - 5	CANADA	Pool B
8.	ENGLAND	29 - 0	PAPUA NEW GUINEA	Pool B
9.	SOUTH AFRICA	24 - 7	JAPAN	Pool A
10.	UNITED STATES	38 - 7	FRANCE	Pool A
11.	AUSTRALIA	29 - 0	PORTUGAL	Pool C
12.	FIJI	42 - 19	WALES	Pool C
13.	ARGENTINA	21 - 21	SAMOA	Pool D
14.	SCOTLAND	14 - 19	KENYA	Pool D
15.	NEW ZEALAND	38 - 7	PAPUA NEW GUINEA	Pool B
16.	ENGLAND	27 - 5	CANADA	Pool B
17.	FRANCE	35 - 17	JAPAN	Pool A
18.	SOUTH AFRICA	26 - 14	UNITED STATES	Pool A
19.	WALES	20 - 12	PORTUGAL	Pool C
20.	AUSTRALIA	5 - 14	FIJI	Pool C
21.	KENYA	28 - 14	SAMOA	Pool D
22.	ARGENTINA	14 - 21	SCOTLAND	Pool D
23.	CANADA	41 - 0	PAPUA NEW GUINEA	Pool B
24.	NEW ZEALAND	24 - 5	ENGLAND	Pool B