Dubai: New Zealand collected their sixth Dubai crown last night when they beat Samoa 24-12 in the final of the Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens, which also got the 2009-10 IRB Rugby Sevens Series on the road.
Tomasi Cama and DJ Forbes scored one try each to give New Zealand a 10-point cushion going into the break. However, Reupena Levasa and Mikaele Pesamino ran in tries early in the second-half to put Samoa 12-10 ahead.
The match swung the Kiwis' way a second time when Kurt Baker touched down in between the posts a little later. New Zealand put the game beyond the Samoans when Cama scored his second try of the night.
Kiwi coach Gordon Tietjens said: "It's been a long 12 months without a win so this one's great. The young boys in the squad really put their hands up.
"It's an awesome result. It was all about hard work and it reaped the riches. We won it our way. We expected to be in the semis perhaps a final, but the bunch put everything into it. This is Sevens rugby, you could be scoring tries and then get hit back at the other end. All credit to my guys. Winning in Dubai is always memorable. This is a good place to visit; lots of Kiwis here, so it's special."
His captain Forbes said: "It was all about perseverance. We had a hard year last year and finally had a win. Some of the boys in this team have never tasted a win and this was it. I think defence was key, we got our defence right and it worked well against the Samoans who came hard at us. It was a matter of being composed. We played with a bit of flair and although this was a final we played good rugby."
Stumbled
IRB Sevens World Series defending champions South Africa's dreams of getting their campaign off to a flying start were derailed by Fiji who beat them 17-5 in the quarterfinals early yesterday. Relegated to the Plate semifinals, the Boks saw off Kenya, but stumbled against Australia, whom they thrashed 29-0 in their last group match on Friday.
Clinton Sills scored a try on the stroke of half-time to hand the Aussies a 7-0 lead heading into the break. South Africa returned for a strong second-half, but the Aussies held their nerve for a superb 7-0 win.
Aussie captain Pat McCutcheon said: "We had more tempo in this one and we built on that and it started to look good for us. We are a young side and everything is a learning curve. We took our defeats on the chin and moved on."
Alex Cuthbert, Jevon Groves, Justin Tiperic and Gareth Davies touched down once each and Ifan Evans scored two tries as 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup winners Wales beat Zimbabwe 38-7. Tangai Nemadire scored Zimbabwe's only try.
Russia's top try-scorer in the competition Vasily Artemyev touched down thrice as his side beat Portugal 17-14 to claim the Shield. Sebastiao Da Cunha and Veltioven Tavares reduced the arrears for Portugal.
Meanwhile, Argentine Dino Tomas Caceres has been slapped with a three match suspension for elbowing Australia's Talalelei Gray during his side's 26-12 semi-final loss in the Plate competition.
Results
IRB Sevens
Final: New Zealand beat Samoa 24-12
Plate final: Australia beat South Africa 7-0
Bowl final: Wales beat Zimbabe 38-7
International Invitational
Final:International Marauders beat Sporting Chance Foundation 33-20
Plate final: Yug beat Black Stallions 12-10
International Invitational Women
Final: French Womens Sevens beat Wooden Spoon Rugby 19-0
Plate final: Rugby Ecosse Feminin beat USA Womens Sevens National Team 15-5
International Under 20 Men
Match TF Urdd Gobaith Cymru beat Pyrenees 7s 43-0
International Social
Hollywood 7s beat Wyvern Harlequins 38-5
International Overseas
Wooden Spoon Blues beat Pyrenees 7s 19-15
International Veterans
Christina Noble Veterans beat FNZ Wooden Spoon Vets 40-7
Gulf Men
Final: Dubai Dragons I beat Dubai Hurricanes I 47-12
Khanjar final: Muscat I beat Dubai Dragons II 38-15
Bowl final: Toa Dubai II beat Toa Dubai I 17-10
Shield final: Kuwait I beat Jeddah 31-26
Gulf Under 18 Men:
Final: Abu Dhabi Harlequins beat Exiles I 31-5
Gulf Veterans
Al Ain Ambler Vets beat Dubai Hurricanes 12-10
Gulf Ladies
Olimp beat Pink Ba-Bas 19-14
Does this loss in any way diminish South Africa's reputation in Rugby Sevens? Do you think the Sevens format is a more level-playing field? Why? Post your comment by clicking on the "Comment' link below
