Aussies cause boil-over in the heat of Dubai

[Burgs]

Aussies cause boil-over in the heat of Dubai

December 02, 2006 - 8:19am
Story by: ARU

A new-look and inexperienced Australian Sevens team have caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of the IRB World Sevens Series when they defeated world champions Fiji, 19-14 on the opening day of the Dubai Sevens tournament.

After falling to Portugal, 12-10 in a closely fought match the Aussies came out firing against the Kenyans in the second Pool A match and claimed their first win of the tournament, 24-7.

After watching Portugal then win their second game against Kenya, the Australian team knew they had to win and produced the shock of the day to defeat last year's world champions Fiji, to qualify for the quarter-finals and stun a sizeable crowd at Exiles Rugby Ground.

Coach Glen Ella said that it was an incredible effort from the team to adapt so quickly to the pace and intensity of Sevens rugby.

“After our opening game I knew we had to improve a lot to match Kenya and Fiji and the boy's really responded well,” Ella said.

“We just did the simple things really well, we knew we couldn't run around them, so it was a case of playing smart and keeping mistakes to a minimum”.

“We've had a good day, but tomorrow we face an undefeated England side who will be a massive challenge for us.”

Australia will now face England in the Cup Quarter Finals to be played at 12:14pm (7.14pm AEST) on Saturday.

Portugal12 defeated Australia10

Australia24 defeated Kenya7

Australia19 defeated Fiji14

Day 2DubaiSevens - Saturday 2 December

Cup Quarter Finals

• Quarter Final 1 - Fiji v France 11.08am (6.08pm AEST)
• Quarter Final 2 - New Zealand v Canada 11. 30am (6.30pm AEST)
• Quarter Final 3 - South Africa v Samoa 11.52am (6.52pm AEST)
• Quarter Final 4 - England v Australia 12.14pm (7.14pm AEST)

[The EnForcer]

Good work Burgs.....Incredible that Australia lose against Portugal and win against Fiji, just shows how different a game 7's is. I know a lot of people that don't like the game but I reckon it's a great spectacle and highly skillful.

[Burgs]

Unfortunately the "Rags to Riches" movie will have to be scrapped now
Bad luck fellas but a gutsy effort and more great experience for our own Brett Stapleton!

Aussies knocked out in quarters

From correspondents in Dubai
December 02, 2006

ENGLAND has inflicted further sporting misery on Australia in the quarter-finals of the Dubai Sevens with a 21-5 victory in torrential rain.

England's cricketers had no sooner finished hammering Shane Warne to all corners of the Adelaide Oval than its sevens rugby players set up a semi-final clash with pre-tournament favourite South Africa.

The inexperienced Australia side – assembled after the original squad had been axed for threatening to go on strike over a pay dispute – took an early lead but could not cope with the pace of David Strettle, who slid in for two tries.

Both were converted brilliantly from the touchline by Ben Gollings, the leading pointscorer in sevens history, who then crossed for England's third try.

England was twice penalised for dissent – back-chat and throwing the ball away – and Australia almost punished Gollings for a careless restart.

England only escaped when Australian Nick Cummins lost the ball forward as he attempted to plough his way over the line.

South Africa booked a spot in the last four with a 19-10 victory over Samoa while Fiji beat France 46-7 and New Zealand thrashed Canada 31-0.

Australia coach Glen Ella had managed to steer his side into the quarter-finals when it beat last season's world champion Fiji for the first time in four years on Friday.

After losing its opener to Portugal 12-10, the Australians came from behind to end a 12-game losing run against Fiji with a 19-14 triumph, and finished runner-up in Pool A.

"Fantastic," Ella said.

"At the start of the day we played like a side that had just been cobbled together, which we pretty much had been.

"After our opening game I knew we had to improve a lot to match ... Fiji and the team really responded well.

"We just did the simple things really well. We knew we couldn't run around them, so it was a case of playing smart and keeping mistakes to a minimum."

Press Association