ENGLAND MEN SEVENS TO PLAY FRANCE IN HAMILTON CHALLENGE TROPHY QUARTERS

Jan 26 • General News, Sevens Rugby, Sevens World Series • 1361 Views • Comments Off on ENGLAND MEN SEVENS TO PLAY FRANCE IN HAMILTON CHALLENGE TROPHY QUARTERS

England finished third in Pool B on day one of the HSBC New Zealand Sevens after losing 7-19 to USA.

They will face France in the Challenge Trophy quarter-finals on Saturday 26 January at 22:06 (GMT), live on Sky Sports Arena.

It was USA’s captain Maddison Hughes who struck first opening up the scoring early on but it was only one unconverted try that separated the two teams going into the break.

Three minutes into the second half Stephen Tomasin increased USA’s lead by seven points but England were back in the game after some neat teamwork from Dan Bibby and Will Muir sent Dan Norton over for his first try of the tournament.

It was not enough for Amor’s men’s as their hopes of a win were shattered when speedster Carlin Isles got the ball out wide and went over the whitewash to secure his side a spot in the Cup quarter-finals.

England secured a 36-7 win over Tonga in their second game of Pool B in Hamilton.
Tonga were first to score through Tana Fotofili and with Phil Burgess sent to the sin bin England were down to six men early on.

Unfazed, England responded through an impressive display of strength from Bibby to level the score to 7-7 at the break.

Moments after half-time England’s youngsters Muir and Charlton Kerr both crossed to increase the score-line with tries of their own before Burgess set up Tom Madison Hughes gets the ball to Carlin Isles and he does what he does best.

Isles takes the outside arch and leavings everyone else standing. Time is ticking away.
Bowen with a grubber kick that sent him over.

In the final minutes of play Ryan Olowofela found space and danced over the line before Bowen crossed for his second of the game and sealed victory.

In their opening game of the HSBC New Zealand Sevens England suffered a narrow 10-12 loss to Samoa.

Samoa were first to put points on the scoreboard through Elisapeta Alofipo followed moments later by another from Alatasi Tupou.

Trailing 12-0 at the break England fought back with exceptional footwork from Bowen but Mitchell was unable to convert.

An offload from Ollie Lindsay-Hague to Richard de Carpentier sent him over and narrowed the deficit to 12-10 but a second missed conversion gave Samoa the edge.

“It’s been a disappointing day for us results-wise,” said England Men Sevens captain Tom Mitchell.

“We just did too many fundamental things below our standards and it wasn’t good enough in what was always going to be a tough and challenging group.

“We will aim to be much better tomorrow – we will stay tight and come back fighting.”

England 10-12 Samoa
Tries: Tom Bowen, Richard de Carpentier

England 36-7 Tonga
Tries: Dan Bibby, Will Muir, Charlton Kerr, Tom Bowen (2), Ryan Olowofela

England 7-19 USA
Tries: Dan Norton

England Men Sevens squad for Hamilton:
Dan Bibby
Tom Bowen
Phil Burgess
Alex Davis
Richard de Carpentier
Charlton Kerr
Ollie Lindsay-Hague
Tom Mitchell (c)
Will Muir
Ryan Olowofela
Dan Norton
Ethan Waddleton

13th man: James Rodwell