AUSTRALIA FINISH SIXTH AT USA SEVENS

Mar 5 • General News, Sevens Rugby • 1495 Views • Comments Off on AUSTRALIA FINISH SIXTH AT USA SEVENS

Australia has gone down 12-17 to New Zealand in the Fifth Placed Final of the USA Sevens in Las Vegas on Monday.

The see-sawing match went into extra time with the Aussie 7s scoring a last gasp try to level the scores after the siren at 12-12. New Zealand claimed the victory with a try to speedster Sione Molia, leaving Australia to take Sixth from round five of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Australia sits in fourth place on the HSBC Sevens World Series ladder on 72 points trailing Fiji (79), New Zealand (82) and South Africa (92).

Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens Head Coach, Andy Friend said: “The last three times we have played New Zealand have come right down to the wire.

“I thought the guys did really well to get the game to extra time. They took their last chance and that’s how tight the game of Sevens is at the moment.

“We are disappointed to lose, but I was really impressed with the fight of the guys throughout the match.

“James Stannard has been great in the way he continues to grow his game. I take my hat off to the man; he continues to grow as a leader and as a football player.

“At his age he could be expected to tail off, but he just continues to look like he is getting younger with the way he defends and plays.”

Australia will now head to Vancouver for round six of the HSBC Sevens World Series where they have been placed in Pool A alongside the USA, Uruguay and hosts Canada.

The Aussie Women’s Sevens have claimed the Sevens Exhibition matches against the USA Women’s sides, 3-1. Australia won the two matches on day three, 40-7 and 39-12 as they continue their preparation for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Fifth Place Semi Final: Australia 26 defeated Kenya 21

Australia started the Fifth Place Semi Final in slick condition with James Stannard scoring off the kick off as the veteran dummied through the Kenyan line to score and give Australia a 7-0 lead. Kenya were the next to strike following a committed period of play where they marched into the Australian defensive zone and waited for the mistake, bringing the scores level. The committed defence of Kenya tested the Aussie 7s resolve as they fought to find more points before the break. Eventually the pressure became too much for Kenya allowing John Porch to outpace the cover defence and score in the corner. Not to be outdone, Kenya kept themselves in the hunt with a late try to take the scores to 14-14.

The Aussie 7s again started well in the second half with Lachie Anderson scoring in the opening minute after a long looping pass from Lewis Holland to re-take the lead 21-14. The intensity of the Semi Final showed no signs of abating as Kenya refused to die wondering as they bravely repelled wave after wave of Australian attack. On the counter Kenya once again scored levelling the scores at 21-21. The African nation hammered the Australian line inside their 22 for the final minutes of the match with only some strong Australian defence holding out. With scores level the match went into extra time where the Aussie 7s slowly inched their way towards the try line. A break from Tom Lucas put the final nail into the match with James Stannard finishing the match the way it started with a try next to the posts, leaving the match at 26-21.

Fifth Place Final: Australia 12 was defeated by New Zealand 17

Australia started the match against their Trans-Tasman rivals well, dominating possession in the opening minutes of the game. The Aussies found the line after a powerful inside run by Jesse Parahi, who put James Stannard over underneath the posts. New Zealand countered immediately, with a break way try from Vilimoni Koroi levelled the scores at 7-7. Australia attempted to make further inroads before the break, but New Zealand forced the error, leaving scores level at the interval.

The second half saw a battle of attrition take place between the two sides as the All Blacks pressured Australia across the park. Two try saving tackles from James Stannard and Charlie Taylor prevented New Zealand from crossing the line on two separate occasions. A huge clearing kick from the veteran (Stannard), relieved the pressure on the Aussie 7s momentarily but New Zealand once again found their way back into the men in gold’s half. A try to New Zealand’s Sam Dickson gave the New Zealanders the lead heading into Referee’s time 7-12. Australia had one last chance to level the scores and hammered the New Zealand line for several phases.

Aussie 7s captain, Lewis Holland found space out wide connecting with Tim Anstee before diving over to score in the corner. Stannard couldn’t kick the conversion leaving the scores locked at 12-12 as the match went into extra time. The Aussie 7s will be left to rue missed opportunities with the men and gold seemingly have their New Zealand counterparts on the ropes as they entered the New Zealand defensive zone but a mistake cost Australia possession allowing speedster Sione Molia to give New Zealand the victory, 12-17.