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The Argentinian men’s team have claimed the gold medal in a remake of the 2014 Youth Olympic Final in Nanjing. While four years ago in China, this time the hosts left the field in CASI La Boya as the winning side following a 24-14 victory.   

The local team was dominant on their path to gold: 50-7 against Samoa, 45-0 against Japan, 29-12 against France, 34-5 against South Africa and 22-14 against the United States in the group stage.

Picture: NZ7s, Facebook Page

New Zealand’s men’s and women’s team both won Gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games rugby sevens tournament. The men’s team managed to secure their title from the Games four years ago in Glasgow by beating Fiji 14-0.

Tries from Etene Nanai-Seturo and Regan Ware were just enough to win the match. In the women’s final, a repeat of the Olympic Gold medal match hosts Australia went head-to-head against rivals New Zealand.

The two outstanding female 7s teams in recent years underlined once more the high standard of women’s rugby. While the Aussie women won the battle in Rio two year’s ago, the Silver Ferns left the pitch victoriously this time after an extra-time thriller. Kelly Brazier was New Zealand’s hero as she ran 80 metres to score the winning try to win 17-12.

England’s 7s teams also finished the tournament with silverware, as both teams won Bronze. Simon Amor’s men's team beat top favourites South Africa 21-14, while the women’s overcame Canada 24 -19 in a replay of the Olympic Bronze final.

Results

Men's 

Gold medal Match | New Zealand 14 - 0 Fiji

Bronze Medal Match | Canada 19 - 24 England

Semi-finals | England 12-17 New Zealand

South Africa 19-24 Fiji

5th-6th | Australia 26-0 Scotland

7th-8th |  Kenya 24-28 Wales

5th-8th | Australia 33-5 Kenya

5th-8th | Scotland 19-12 Wales

Women's

Gold medal Match | Australia 12-17 New Zealand

Bronze Medal Match | Canada 19-24 England

Semi-finals | Australia 33-7 Canada

Semi-finals | New Zealand 26-5 England

5th-6th | Fiji 40-5 Kenya

7th-8th | South Africa 14-19 Wales

5th-8th | Fiji 40-12 South Africa

5th-8th | Kenya 14-12 Wales

Picture: www.rugby.com.au / StuartWalmsley

On the first-ever Commonwealth Games women’s 7s tournament, the hosts, and Olympic gold medallists Australia underlined their high ambitions to go for gold again after remaining unbeaten on day one of the two-day competition.

The Aussie women’s team started the day in style at the Robina Stadium with a confident 34-5 victory over Wales before beating England in a more even contest 12-29. After two matches played, Australia leads their Group B, followed by Fiji, who despite a 5-17 loss in their opening match against England, finished the day in the second position after beating Wales 7-29.

The Welsh ladies suffered from the absence of their inspirational captain Philippa Tuttiett who has been ruled out just before the tournament due to an injury and finish the day at the bottom of the table. Third-placed England plays their rivals Wales tomorrow in the last pool match, while Fiji faces Australia.

In Pool 1, New Zealand has been the outstanding team. The Kiwis began their campaign with two clean sheets, beating Kenya 45-0 and South Africa 41-0, more than enough to enter day two in top position.

Olympic Bronze winners Canada also impressed with a 29-0 victory over South Africa and a 24-12 win over Kenya. New Zealand will go head-to-head against the North Americans to determine the winner of Pool 2. Kenya and South Africa are battling for the third place in tomorrows final group match.

The tournament resumes tomorrow morning (12:31 AM, BST) with the men’s competition. The Aussie 7s men’s team face Samoa in the opening match of day 2. 

Fixtures Day 2

00:31 - 00:47

Men's Pool Round - Pool B

AUS V SAM

00:53 - 01:09

Men's Pool Round - Pool B

ENG V JAM

01:15 - 01:31

Men's Pool Round - Pool C

CAN V KEN

01:37 - 01:53

Men's Pool Round - Pool C

NZ V ZAM

01:59 - 02:15

Men's Pool Round - Pool D

WAL V UGA

02:21 - 02:37

Men's Pool Round - Pool D

FIJ V SRI

02:43 - 02:59

Men's Pool Round - Pool A

SCO V PNG

03:05 - 03:21

Men's Pool Round - Pool A

SA V MAS

03:27 - 03:43

Women's Pool Round - Pool A

SA V KEN

03:49 - 04:05

Women's Pool Round - Pool A

NZ V CAN

04:11 - 04:27

Men's Pool Round - Pool B

AUS V JAM

04:33 - 04:49

Men's Pool Round - Pool B

ENG V SAM

04:55 - 05:11

Men's Pool Round - Pool C

CAN V ZAM

05:17 - 05:33

Men's Pool Round - Pool C

NZ V KEN

08:31 - 08:47

Men's Pool Round - Pool D

WAL V SRI

08:53 - 09:09

Men's Pool Round - Pool D

FIJ V UGA

09:15 - 09:31

Men's Pool Round - Pool A

SCO V MAS

09:37 - 09:53

Men's Pool Round - Pool A

SA V PNG

09:59 - 10:15

Women's Pool Round - Pool B

ENG V WAL

10:21 - 10:37

Women's Pool Round - Pool B

AUS V FIJ

10:43 - 10:59

Men's Pool Round - Pool B

SAM V JAM

11:05 - 11:21

Men's Pool Round - Pool B

ENG V AUS

11:27 - 11:43

Men's Pool Round - Pool C

KEN V ZAM

11:49 - 12:05

Men's Pool Round - Pool C

NZ V CAN

12:11 - 12:27

Men's Pool Round - Pool D

UGA V SRI

12:33 - 12:49

Men's Pool Round - Pool D

FIJ V WAL

12:55 - 13:11

Men's Pool Round - Pool A

PNG V MAS

13:17 - 13:33

Men's Pool Round - Pool A

SA V SCO 

Quick Links

Commonwealth Games | Rugby Sevens Website

The Dubai Sevens 2018 are done and dusted. For New Zealand's Sevens sides it was the perfect weekend as both, the men's and women's, start the new season in a winning fashion. But there is much more we can take away from the last few days. Here are five things that stood out.

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Text, Picture and Video: World Rugby

England were the surprise package on day one of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens on Thursday, beating defending series and Dubai champions Australia and Glendale runners-up USA to finish top of a pool for the first time since the final round of the 2015-16 series.

Text, Pictures and Video: World Rugby

New Zealand completed a golden month of rugby sevens with a scintillating display of power and precision to beat series leaders Australia 46-0 to successfully defend their HSBC Canada Women's Sevens title.

The HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series 2018 title race is set for an enthralling conclusion in Paris next month after New Zealand produced 14 minutes of sublime sevens to beat Australia 46-0 in the final of the HSBC Canada Women's Sevens in Langford on Sunday.

The Black Ferns Sevens were simply untouchable in the final. They starved series leaders Australia of possession and met any attack they tried to put together with an impenetrable black wall in defence, while with ball in hand they were mesmerising and clinical, turning virtually every foray into Australia's half in points.

It was the 13th time the most dominant teams in series history had met in a Cup final and it was a complete reverse of their last. Australia that day ran out 31-0 winners in Sydney, the first time New Zealand had failed to score a single point in a match. This time it was New Zealand's turn to shut out their opponents and record their highest score against Australia by some margin.

USA WIN BRONZE

USA finished strongly to claim the bronze medal with a 21-5 victory over Kitakyushu runners-up France. Les Bleues had scored first after some quick work from Camille Grassineau at the breakdown led to a try for Caroline Drouin. The score looked set to stay at 5-0 until, on the stroke of half-time, Naya Tapper stepped round her defender and raced away to send the USA into the huddle with a two-point lead. Some great work and strength from Alev Kelter created a try for Katherine Zackary and it was fitting left to the USA playmaker to then create one for herself at the death.

CANADA FINISH FIFTH

A hat-trick from Farella ensured the home fans went home happy after Canada beat Ireland 29-12 to finish fifth. There were only seconds on the clock when she ran in her first try with Hannah Darling adding a second soon after. Audrey O'Flynn did cross for Ireland but Farella was in scintillating form on Sunday and raced home from distance twice more before Charity Williams also showed Canada's fans that long-range tries are her forte as well.

JAPAN WIN CHALLENGE TROPHY

Japan created a piece of history in winning the Challenge Trophy, their 26-21 victory over Spain meaning they finish a series event with three wins to their names. Tries by Iera Echebarria and Uri Barrutieta looked to have Spain in control at 14-7, but a brace from captain Chiharu Nakamura saw Japan the front for the first time. Echebarria grabbed a second to tie things up once more, but there was to be one final twist with Tomomi Kozasa scoring the winning try with time almost up.

Quick Links

Canada 7s | Results Day 2

World Sevens Series | Standings

Pictures & Text via World Rugby

New Zealand moved a step closer to regaining the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series title in Langford, Canada, on Sunday when they put in a gutsy display in the final against the home side that was enjoying playing in front of a partisan and packed crowd.

A barnstorming display by Rubi Tui that won her the HSBC Player of the Final award, spearheaded an impressive Black Ferns Sevens performance as the series champions-in-waiting registered a 17-7 victory in the final. 

Two early NZ tries from Michaella Blyde (one of a remarkable nine she scored this weekend) and Tyla Nathan-Wong, rocked the home team, who found themselves 12-0 down with just three minutes gone. An eerie hush descended on Westhills Stadium, which just moments before had cheered raucously after a rousing rendition of ‘Oh Canada’. But if anyone thought it was going to be a stroll in the park for New Zealand, that’s not how it would pan out as Canada fought their way back into the game.

Indeed, with captain Ghislaine Landry leading from the front, Canada threatened to upset the Kiwis and they hit before the break with a try from speedster Julia Greenshields. And that’s the way it stayed until the final play of the game when replacement Alena Saili crossed in the corner to seal the deal for New Zealand. 

Led by Tui, Theresa Fitzpatrick and Niall Williams, NZ did their best to control the ball in that tense second half and they were largely successful, frustrating the home side by denying them possession at every turn.

HSBC Player of the Final Tui was typically humble in accepting her award and also made reference to a number of players who were unable to make the trip to Langford due to commitments with the New Zealand 15s team. She said: “I couldn’t do a single part of my job if it wasn’t the whole team. There were a few girls back home we wanted to make proud, the whole Black Ferns 15s team – it’s a countrywide thing so it was great for us to be able to do that for them. I know they’ll have been following us and they’ll be so pleased.”

Far from being put off by the home support, Tui had nothing but praise for the 4,000 or so Canadians who turned up to shout for their team.

She said: “The crowd here was the bomb, they were off the chain! You can’t ask more from a home town crowd than to cheer for their country as loud as they can because to me that’s cheering for all of rugby so it’s awesome and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

While it was to be New Zealand’s day, it’s worth mentioning how good Canada were this weekend, too. Their chosen theme song, which blasted out across the ground this weekend whenever they scored, was ‘Takin’ Care of Business’ by the cult Canadian rock band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Of course, when Randy Bachman wrote that great 1970s anthem he was being somewhat ironic (“If you ever get annoyed, look at me I'm self-employed; I love to work at nothing all day”). 

But no one watching the HSBC Canada Sevens in British Columbia this week could accuse these Canadians of having a work ethic that was anything short of industrious. Whether in attack or defence, they gave everything they had in every game and, in spite of the pressures put on them by the expectant home support, they rose to the occasion, moved into an overdrive of their own and took care of business in front of an adoring and, at times, delirious Langford crowd.

That is, right up to the final when they came up against a young and relatively inexperienced New Zealand that clearly had something to prove to those who said they couldn’t do it without the likes of Sarah Goss, Portia Woodman and Kelly Brazier in the side.

Earlier, the quarter-finals went pretty much to form with Canada, Australia, France and New Zealand all making it into the last four. The home team had never made it past that stage in Langford so it settled plenty of local nerves when Canada took control from the first minute of the game against England with a try from Ashley Steacy. And they never took the foot off the pedal, giving the English no way back into the game, finishing the game 33-5 to the good thanks to further tries from Landry (two), Brittany Benn and Megan Lukan.

The Aussies were too strong for the United States with a brace of tries from Emilee Cherry proving the difference as the Olympic champions ran out 22-10 winners. 

France have been one of the success stories of this season’s series and again proved they are something to be reckoned with by beating a tenacious Ireland 19-5 in the third quarter-final thanks to tries from Pauline Biscarat, Fanny Horta and Montserrat Amedee.

New Zealand had it all their own way against Russia, keeping coach Andrey Kuzin’s side scoreless as Blyde, Crystal Mayes, Tui and Saili getting over the whitewash to win 24-0.

The semi-final against France was more of the same for the Black Ferns Sevens as they continued to improve through the tournament. Blyde and Mayes again scored tries, as did Katarina Whata-Simpkins and the peerless Niall Williams as NZ glided serenely into the final.

For Canada, it was less straightforward as they had to come from behind to beat Australia, who went on to beat France in the bronze final, but it was like the crowd in Westhills carried them over the line on occasion as they came back into the contest after an early Aussie try from inspirational captain Sharni Williams. Composure under pressure, coupled with the blistering pace of players like Greenshields and Charity Williams saw the local favourites into the final as they desperately sought to become the first team ever to win a series event at home. Sadly for them, that is an unusual record that still stands.

Among those who didn’t emerge from pool play, Fiji put some of that disappointment behind them by winning the Challenge Trophy, beating Spain 31-7 in the final with two stunning tries from Miriama Naiobasali. On Saturday, Fiji had given up a 14-0 lead to lose eventually to Ireland and then they went down 12-7 to Spain before playing brilliantly to hold Australia to a 24-24 draw. No one doubts that when Fiji finally click they might just be unstoppable. 

Text, Pictures and Video: World Rugby

New Zealand were popular winners with the Japanese crowd after the world champions beat first-time Cup finalists France 24-12 to complete a successful defence of the HSBC Kitakyushu Sevens title on Sunday.

The two teams had met in the final match of day one with the Black Ferns Sevens running out convincing 38-7 winners at the Mikuni World Stadium, but the final was a much closer affair and only settled after late scores by Portia Woodman and HSBC Player of the Final Tyla Nathan-Wong.

New Zealand had lost Niall Williams to injury before the final but they made the perfect start with Michaela Blyde scoring in the opening minute. However, France regrouped and some good link play between captain Fanny Horta and Marjorie Mayans down the left created an opportunity they were unable to turn into the points due to the pace of Woodman.

Les Bleues did draw level after a period of possession with some quick hands allowing Camille Grassineau to touch down under the posts, but New Zealand edged ahead once more when Theresa Fitzpatrick broke through to score on the stroke of half-time to make it 12-7.

New Zealand lost Gayle Broughton to the sin-bin early in the second half and in her absence France struck once again through Montserrat Amedee, failing to take the lead for the first time after Jade Le Pesq was unable to add the conversion. The next score would be crucial and it arrived in a familiar fashion, Woodman receiving the ball out wide and her burst of acceleration enough to take her around the French defender and away for the try, leaving Nathan-Wong to make certain of the win with their fourth try.

"There were some massive plays there, the girls really stepped up. We have had a couple of injuries over the last few weeks and to come away with back-to-back golds is pretty special and I can't wait to get home and celebrate with our families," said New Zealand captain Sarah Goss afterwards.

Coach Allan Bunting added: "It is pretty special, we always want to do well and then to do really well at the Commonwealth Games and to back it up here is really satisfying. I think the last couple of weeks we have done a lot of learning and growing and we have got some really good foundations in our programme and those foundations are building towards Tokyo which is great.

The victory sees New Zealand cut Australia's lead in the standings to six points with two rounds to go in Langford and Paris. Russia are a further eight points adrift on 42 after finishing fifth, while France's runners-up finish means they now sit fourth with 40 points with Canada and Spain completing the top six with 32 points.

Quick Links

Kitakyushu | Results Day 2

World Sevens Series | Standings

Text, Picture and Video: World Rugby

New Zealand beat USA 21-5 to win the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Sydney and move top of the overall standings after four events.

Text, Picture and Video: World Rugby

Australia, Canada and New Zealand finished top of their pools as the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series 2019 kicked off at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado, on Saturday.

Defending series champions Australia had to recover from 15-0 down at half-time in their Pool A decider with Russia to make it three wins from three at the HSBC USA Women's Sevens and set up a Cup quarter-final with the hosts who finished third in Pool B.

Text, Picture and Video: World Rugby

New Zealand claimed a fourth successive title on the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series – and sixth in total – after beating the Women's Sevens Eagles in the HSBC USA Women's Sevens final in Glendale, Colorado, on Sunday.

The Black Ferns Sevens have now won 33 consecutive matches, including the Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens, after another dominant weekend in the opening round of the 2019 series at Infinity Park.

The wait is over! This weekend the HSBC Women’s World Series gets underway with a new exciting stage in the US. The Infinity Park in Glendale (Colorado) hosts, for the first time, a stage of the series. Besides the USA Sevens in Las Vegas and the Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco held earlier, it’s the third major 7s event based in the USA within one year. The United States are turning into a real 7s hotspot, underlining the great passion and ambition the nation has developed for the sport in recent years.