Australia top pool after day 1
Crowd favourites England stage Great Escape
(IRB.COM) Friday 3 December 2010
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http://www.irbsevens.com/mm/Photo/To...184_MEDIUM.jpgEngland will now play Australia in the Cup quarter finals after a dramatic victory over Fiji on day one of the Dubai Sevens
England staged a great escape on day one at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, recovering from a loss against Portugal to beat Fiji and join the top seeds in the Cup quarter finals of the first event in this season's HSBC Sevens World Series.
Fiji still top the pool with the English going through in second place, and the United States booked a first ever place in the Dubai quarter finals.
"The amount of people who found it very good news that England were about to go into the Bowl was a real motivation. So out we come in our bright orange shirts and we proved a point that we weren't dead and buried, and that hopefully this side will prove that there is a bit more to them and we have got more in us," said England coach, Ben Ryan.
New Zealand and Australia were the day's only two unbeaten sides to top their respective pools each blooding six new players.
"I played all the young boys in that game [against Argentina] because we had won our pool and I had to see where they were at. I had to try them out and I think Declan O'Donnell is going pretty well, and Bryce Heen. The big boys out there, they will come good I am pretty sure they will," said New Zealand coach, Gordon Tietjens.
Australia head coach Michael O'Connor added: "He [John Grant] is new on the scene and obviously a big boy, he carries the ball well and he has good wheels. He is still learning the game though and I think he is a really good prospect."
Reigning World Series champions Samoa survived an early scare to come from behind and draw with Wales, and then beat Kenya to proceed to the last eight with the impressive Welsh.
Cup quarter finals:
Samoa v USA
Fiji v South Africa
Australia v England
New Zealand v Wales
Earlier the first major upset was caused by Zimbabwe, as they beat core side Argentina 24-14. Portugal then beat England but were cruelly denied a place in the Cup quarter finals when England denied Fiji.
Bowl quarter finals:
Kenya v Argentina
Portugal v Russia
Scotland v France
Zimbabwe v Arabian Gulf
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Pool A - SAM, WAL, KEN, AGU
Reigning World Series champions Samoa began the defence of their title with a 21-21 draw with Wales and victories over hosts Arabian Gulf and Kenya. The current Rugby World Cup Sevens champions, Wales, followed their impressive performance against Samoa with a 17-12 victory over Kenya thanks to Ifan Evans' second and third tries of the tournament. They secured their place in tomorrow's Cup quarter final and remained unbeaten after beating Arabian Gulf 47-5.
Samoa's Alafoti Fa'osiliva and Kenya captain Humphrey Kayange earlier scored hat-tricks against the hosts, as the Arabian Gulf also suffered a 31-19 defeat at the hands of Kenya.
Pool B - NZL, ARG, USA, ZIM
The defending Dubai champions New Zealand won all three of their pool matches on day one, with Toby Arnole scoring five tries in their 31-7 and 59-0 victories over USA and Zimbabwe.
Having recently scooped a fourth successive Commonwealth Games gold medal they started as favourites for this tournament and Gordon Tietjens' newloook squad went on to beat Argentina 24-19 with newcomer Bryce Heem scoring twice.
Earlier, Zimbabwe caused the first major upset of day one, beating Argentina 24-14 with tries from Njabula Ndlovu, Tangai Nemadire and two from Mbanje giving head coach Liam Middleton a perfect start before their match with New Zealand before their 28-12 loss to USA.
Al Caravelli's side booked their first ever Dubai Sevens Cup quarter final with that victory after they had earier beaten their South American neighbours 24-19 with the impressive Zach Test scoring two.
NEW! Dubai Sevens Play of the Day
Pool C- AUS, RSA, SCO, RUS
Australia ended day one with a 100% record, after beating South Africa 19-14 in the final match of day one at 7he Sevens.
The third-placed team in last year's World Series standings got off to a flying start against Scotland, scoring seven tries in their 41-14 win. Big John Grant scored twice, whilst Andrew Skeen scored both of Scotland's two late tries. Michael O'Connor's side scored a further four tries in their second pool match, a 28-19 victory over Russia, including Grant's third of the tournament and two from Hamish Angus.
South Africa, whom Australia beat in the recent Commonwealth Games semi finals in Delhi, needed all their wits about them to grind out a 19-10 win over rugged Russia but could only draw 19-19 with Scotland.
Kyle Brown scored two tries in the first half, but Peter Horne scored at the death to level the scores. Andrew Skeen then missed the opportunity to beat Paul Treu's side as he hit the post with his conversion with the scores locked. Graham Shiel recorded his first Sevens victory as his side went on to beat Russia 26-10.
Pool D - FIJ, ENG, POR, FRA
Simon Hunt came off the bench to score a try after the hooter had gone to send the partisan crowd at 7he Sevens into raptures.
Locked at 21-21, England were heading to the Bowl competition for the first ever time in Dubai having lost to Portugal 14-12 earlier in the day, but Hunt crossed in the corner to spark wild celebrations.
Portugal had shocked the crowd in their second match of day one against England, the first time they have ever beaten their European opponents, thanks to two Frederico Oliveira tries and nerves of steel from Pedro Leal, who stepped up to kick the decisive conversion.
Fiji won their opening two matches of the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series, beating Portugal 31-7 in the opening match of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, and France 35-5. Josefa Bole crossed for the first try of the tournament against Portugal, before Emosi Vucago scored his second of the tournament against France.
Earlier England trailed twice against France in the second match of the day but two tries either side of half-time from Dan Caprice and one each for Isoa Damu and Simon Hunt secured a 24-12 victory.
Dubai Sevens: Final day Latest
Dubai Sevens: Final day Latest
(IRB.COM) Saturday 4 December 2010
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Dubai Sevens: Final day Latest
Samoa will now face Fiji in the Cup semi finals
Stay with irbsevens.com, the official website of the HSBC Sevens World Series, for All the latest news, results, photos and reaction from the final day of the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens, the first event in the 2010/11 World Series.
LATEST BUZZ: Samoa, Fiji, England and New Zealand booked their places in the Cup semi finals after 38-5, 21-19, 24-21 and 35-7 victories over USA, South Africa, Australia and Wales respectively. Earlier Argentina, Russia, Scotland and Zimbabwe all progressed to the Bowl semi finals after victories in the opening four matches on day two of the 2010 Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens.
South Africa and Australia, who met in yesterday's final pool match on day one, meet again in the Plate final, having beaten the two other losing Cup quarter finalists USA and Wales.
Argentina and Zimbabwe will compete in the Bowl final after victories over Russia and Scotland, whilst Kenya and France meet in fhe Shield final beating Portugal and Arabian Gulf respectively in the semi finals.
Cup semi finals:
Samoa v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Plate final:
South Africa v Australia
Bowl final:
Argentina v Zimbabwe
Shield final:
Kenya v France
LATEST RESULTS >>
Who will win in Dubai? >>
Cup
Reigning World Series champions Samoa proved too strong for USA in the first of the four quarter finals. USA had not beaten Samoa since the 2007 South Africa Sevens in George, and their fortunes did not change against Stephen Betham's side with Fautua Otto's two tries contributing to the 38-5 defeat.
Fiji trailed South Africa 19-7 with less than two minutes remaining, but tries from Nasoni Roko and Seremaia Burotu secured a dramatic last minute victory to set up an all-Pacific semi final. Burotu had earlier run the entire length of the field to score a fine individual try for his first.
Dan Caprice was the recipient of some outstanding work from James Rodwell as once again England came from the brink against Australia to book their place in the next round. Australia captain Bernard Foley had given his side a 21-19 lead with less than a minute remaining but Caprice began and finished a sublime move. They will now play either New Zealand or Wales in the semi finals.
Current Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Wales could not stop New Zealand, as they suffered a 35-7 defeat to Gordon Tietjens' side in the fourth and final quarter final. Frank Halai scored two of their five tries, whilst Ifan Evans crossed for Wales.
DUBAI SEVENS LATEST STATISTICS >>
DUBAI SEVENS REACTION AUDIO >>
Plate
South Africa will compete with Australia for the Plate trophy after they beat USA 24-10 and Wales 26-12 in the two semi finals.
In the first semi final, Cecil Afrika ran in two first half tries and Kyle Brown immediately crossed in the second to give South Africa a 19-0 lead. Tries from Miles Craigwell and Roland Suniula did give USA a glimmer of hope but Mark Richards cemented South Africa's place in the final in the dying seconds.
John Grant scored his eighth and ninth tries of the tournament as Michael O'Connor's Australia defeated Wales 26-12 to set up a repeat of the Pool C match, despite Evans giving the Welsh the lead.
Bowl
Argentina and Zimbabwe will compete iin the Bowl final after the South American side recorded a 31-7 victory over Russia thanks to two tries from Diego Palma and Martin Lasalle and Zimbabwe proved too strong for Scotland, winning 28-12.
Argentina had earlier booked their place in the semi finals after a convincing 43-0 victory over Kenya, Palma again scoring twice.
James Fleming scored his sixth try of tournament in the final seconds to book Scotland's place in the semi finals, beating European opponents France 28-22, before Zimambwe set up a match with Graham Shiel's side, beating Arabian Gulf 24-14.
Portugal, disappointed not to have made the Cup quarter finals having ended the pool stages on the same points as England and Fiji, lost 10-7 to Russia in the other quarter final.
Shield
Kenya will face France in the final of the Shield after they beat Portugal 19-12 in their semi final. Huge Valente had given the Europeans a 5-0 lead but Andrew Amonde hit back with two quick tries, before captain Humphrey Kayange's fourth try of the tournament secured victory for his side.
The hosts' defeat meant it was their last ever match as Arabian Gulf, but for a while it looked as though they would reach the final having lead 19-14. However tries from Jean Baptiste Belanger and Renaud Delmas clinched a 26-19 victory for the French.
http://www.irbsevens.com/destination...s+final+latest
England trump Samoa to win Dubai Sevens
England trump Samoa to win Dubai Sevens
December 5, 2010 - 8:22AM
England's Thomas Powell (L) avoids a tackle from Samoa's Reupena Levasa.
England's Thomas Powell (L) avoids a tackle from Samoa's Reupena Levasa. Photo: AFP
DUBAI: England produced two late tries to trump Samoa 29-21 and win the Dubai Sevens on Saturday, the first tournament of the eight-leg IRB Sevens World Series.
The English team's performance in the final mirrored a day of action in which they had twice come up with last-gasp scores to defeat New Zealand and Australia in thrilling style, in the semi and quarter-finals respectively.
"It's been the story of the weekend," England captain Ben Gollings said of his team's rearguard action.
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South Africa's Cecil Afrika escapes the challenge from Hamish Angus of Australia to score in the Plate Final.
South Africa's Cecil Afrika escapes the challenge from Hamish Angus of Australia to score in the Plate Final. Photo: AP
"We bounced back well and I couldn't be more proud of the boys."
England knocked Australia out of the quarter-finals 24-21 then upset defending champions New Zealand 19-14 in the semis.
Samoa made the final by seeing off Fiji (24-21) in the semi-finals and the United States (38-5) in the quarters.
In the tournament's lower-level play-offs, South Africa beat Australia 19-12 in the plate final, Argentina blanked Zimbabwe 21-0 in the bowl, and Kenya also whitewashed France, 26-0, in the shield.
Cup final
England 29 Samoa 21
Cup semi-finals
Samoa 24 Fiji 21
England 19 New Zealand 14
Cup quarter-finals
Samoa 38 USA 5
Fiji 21 South Africa 19
England 24 Australia 21
New Zealand 35 Wales 7
Plate final
South Africa 19 Australia 12
Plate semi-finals
South Africa 24 USA 10
Australia 26 Wales 12
Bowl final
Argentina 21 Zimbabwe 0
Bowl semi-finals
Argentina 31 Russia 7
Zimbabwe 28 Scotland 17
Bowl quarter-finals
Argentina 43 Kenya 0
Russia 10 Portugal 7
Scotland 28 France 22
Zimbabwe 24 Arabian Gulf 14
Shield final
Kenya 26 France 0
Shield semi-finals
Kenya 19 Portugal 12
France 26 Arabian Gulf 19
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