AUSSIE 7S MISS OUT ON QUARTER FINAL RACE IN CAPE TOWN

Dec 10 • General News, Sevens Rugby • 1906 Views • Comments Off on AUSSIE 7S MISS OUT ON QUARTER FINAL RACE IN CAPE TOWN

The Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens team have missed out on the battle for the top eight having fallen to the USA and New Zealand in two tough, Pool B encounters on Day One of the Cape Town Sevens in South Africa.

Australia will battle it out for crucial Series Points to ensure the best possible seeding heading into the HSBC Sydney Sevens, that kicks off on the Australia Day Long weekend at Allianz Stadium in 2018.

Qantas Australia Men’s Sevens Head Coach, Andy Friend said: “We knew after Dubai that the USA team was going to come out a better team, but that’s the nature of this competition at the moment.

“We knew it was going to be tough pool. We had our chances against USA and didn’t take them and coming up in a Grand Final match against the Kiwis and they were too good for us.

“We know that the next tournament for us is our home tournament and that’s what is so disappointing.

“What is important now is that we come back tomorrow and make sure we come ninth.”

The Aussie 7s will play in the Challenge Trophy Finals against Uganda on Sunday 10 December, kicking off at 8.42pm AEDT.

Australia 36 defeated Spain 12

Australia shot out of the blocks with a try to Lachie Anderson in the opening minute. Simon Kennewell showed the form he has been in by scoring his first of three tries in the first half as the Aussie 7s marched out to a 22-7 lead at the break.

The Aussie 7s experience was too much for Spain in the second half as tries to Maurice Longbottom and Matthew Hood ensured a 36-12 victory.

Australia 14 were defeated by USA 31

Australia took the lead in the opening minute of the match with a try to Boyd Killingworth but the American speedster, Carlin Isles proved to be Australia’s villain with three tries before the break to give USA a 7-17 lead.

The Aussie 7s clawed the damage back with a well worked try to Lachie Anderson in the 9^th minute but it wasn’t enough as the USA side’s speed proved difficult to contain with a final try to Hughes ensuring a 14-21 victory to the USA.

Australia 12 were defeated by New Zealand 35

New Zealand worked their way from left to right as they looked for a gap in Australia’s defence and were eventually able to cross the line to take a 0-7 lead. New Zealand scored their second try through Dylan Collier as they punished Australia for a handling error with the Aussies camped within the All Blacks Sevens 22. New Zealand a third try before the break to take a 0-21 lead.

A determined Aussie 7s shot out of the blocks in the second half, bashing their way through New Zealand’s defence with Simon Kennewell scoring next to the posts. Lewis Holland scored the men in gold’s second try a minute later as the Aussie 7s surged to 12-21. New Zealand who been starved of possession in the second half scored back to back tries to ensure that New Zealand took the game 12-35.