On fire: The BlitzBokke
South Africa, Fiji, Wales and Portugal topped their respective pools at the end of Day One at the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in Port Elizabeth.
Hosts and tournament favourites with bookmakers Paddy Power, South Africa and Portugal were the only teams to remain unbeaten on Day One.
After an enthralling day one of the third round of the Sevens World Series they will now face USA and France respectively in the Cup quarter finals. Those looking to bet on rugby will certainly be backing the hosts to overcome the USA and advance to the semi-finals.
In the other two Cup quarter finals Wales will meet Series leaders New Zealand, whilst Fiji await Argentina.
England missed out on the Cup for a third successive tournament, as did last week's Dubai Sevens winners who will also compete in the Bowl.
Quarter-finals:
South Africa v United States
Wales v New Zealand
Portugal v France
Fiji v Argentina
Bowl quarter-finals:
Australia v Zimbabwe
Kenya v Scotland
Canada v Samoa
England v Spain
Pool A: Samoa, France, South Africa, Australia
France 31-5 Australia
Samoa 7-29 South Africa
Samoa 7-26 Australia
France 5-12 South Africa
South Africa 17-7 Australia
Samoa 12-7 France
The hosts' won both of their opening matches at the Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens before they ended with an impressive 17-7 victory against Australia.
Cornal Hendricks and Paul Delport earlier helped Paul Treu's side beat France 12-5, whilst their first match was a repeat of last year's Cup semi final, and they were able to record a 29-7 victory against last week's champions Samoa thanks to a hat-trick from Chris Dry. France also opened up with a victory, beating Australia 31-5 thanks to 14 points from Terry Bouhraoua.
Having won the Cup last weekend in Dubai, Samoa were unable to reproduce that form as they suffered a second successive defeat, losing 26-7 against Australia. These two sides last met at the 2012 Tokyo Sevens Cup final, which Australia won 28-26.
Pool B: New Zealand, Fiji, Scotland, England
Fiji 29-19 England
New Zealand 14-7 Scotland
Fiji 19-21 Scotland
New Zealand 24-7 England
Scotland 12-33 England
New Zealand 12-24 Fiji
Fiji booked their places in the Cup quarter finals with a 24-12 victory against New Zealand. The Gold Coast Sevens champions knew a victory would confirm their place in the last eight having earlier suffered a shcok 21-19 defeat to Scotland.
In an enthralling match Andrew Turnbull scored twice, as did Fiji's Joji Raqamate, but it was captain Colin Gregor's try and conversion that made the difference.
New Zealand join Fiji in the Cup competition on day two with two wins, coming from 7-0 behind to beat Scotland 14-7 before a 24-7 defeat of England.
Fiji also beat England 29-19 thanks to two tries from captain Setefano Cakau but Ben Ryan's side ensured they ended day one with a victory, beating the auld enemy Scotland 33-12, a match which saw Dan Norton notch up his 100th career try.
Pool C: Kenya, Wales, Argentina, Spain
Wales 12-5 Spain
Kenya 21-17 Argentina
Wales 7-12 Argentina
Kenya 26-14 Spain
Argentina 21-14 Spain
Kenya 14-33 Wales
Argentina and Wales reached the Cup quarter finals from Pool C in yet another enthralling contest. Wales headed into their final match with Kenya knowing a win was required, and Paul John's side ensured their place in the last eight with a 33-12 victory over Mike Friday's side.
Wales beat Spain 12-5 in their first pool match, Rhys Jones and Will Thomas scoring for the current Sevens world champions. However they were pinned back in their second clash of the day when Argentina came from behind to beat them 12-7 in a tense clash. Argentina won their second match of the day, beating Spain 21-14.
Kenya had made it two wins from two on the opening day, beating Spain 26-14 in their second match thanks to 11 points from Lavin Asego and were unlucky to miss out on points differential.
Earlier, Mike Friday's side stormed into a 21-0 lead at half time against Argentina thanks to tries from Andrew Amonde, Willy Ambaka and Davis Chenge. Los Pumas scored three second half tries, but two missed conversions meant they lost 21-17.
Pool D: Portugal, Canada, United Stated, Zimbabwe
Canada 26-0 Zimbabwe
Portugal 26-12 United States
Portugal 17-12 Zimbabwe
Canada 12-26 United States
United States 21-17 Zimbabwe
Portugal 28-7 Canada
Portugal entered the Cup stage for a second successive Sevens World Series tournament after winning all three of their games on the opening day in Port Elizabeth.
The Europeans got their campaign in Port Elizabeth off to a solid start beating USA 26-12, equaling the most points scored by them against the North Americans in a World Series match before narrowly beating Zimbabwe 17-12. They ended the day with a resounding 28-7 win over Canada, confirming their place in the Cup.
Canada also beat Zimbabwe, 11 points coming from Nathan Hirayama to give them a 26-0 victory but lost to rivals USA 26-12 in their second match. Luke Hume crossed twice to give the USA their first victory against Canada since the 2011 Dubai Sevens, although Phil Mack was shown a red card in the first half.
USA won their second match against Zimbabwe 21-17 and thanks to Portugal's result will join the Portuguese in the Cup, with Canada and Zimbabwe battling in the Bowl on Sunday.
With thanks to the IRB
Comments
rugbylover says...
I accept your logic - but poor marks for grammar & spelling.
Courtesy is a bit off, too.
Typical wildebeaste.
Posted 10:57 09th December 2012
bokbevok says...
@rugbylover you must be an idiot why manipulate Samoa who won last leg , Oz and France in our group.
We would of put England and Argentina in before those team and to get that draw we had to win group.
Just incase your a football fan changing codes because that team is crap as well we have no control how the other teams finish in there groups. We really are not that good I promise.
Get with it, I think you should be tweeting your team and giving them your vast experience.
Over and out England
Posted 08:15 09th December 2012
rugbylover says...
@bokbevok
.....May I add, quarterfinal - South Africa V USA - GOSH! How lucky is THAT!?
Posted 21:21 08th December 2012
rugbylover says...
@bokbevok
Yes. And a little 'manipulation' didn't go amiss, did it?
Posted 21:16 08th December 2012
Iyhel says...
Glad to see France performing for the third round in a row. Hopefully with honest results and the Olympics coming we may see renewed interest for sevens here.
Posted 20:58 08th December 2012
bokbevok says...
@rugbylover if England were better then they would not find themselves in the lucky dip bag.
Or was that the unlucky bag, you are rubbish right now and probably would not of made it through portugals pool.👎
Just loving it........
Posted 20:31 08th December 2012
JMehrtens says...
The Seedings are based on previous tournament.
The numbers 1-3 top pool A-C
All other Quarter finalists, 5 in total are in pot 1 and divided over each pool with 2 in pool 2. As Portugal and Canada both qualified for the quarters it was possible to draw such a weak pool. With odds less than 1% still unlikely but it happened.
Posted 16:31 08th December 2012
rugbylover says...
Er............. Well, yes. That is what I am suggesting. Come on guys. Pools C & D?
What is that all about? Is it SA or bust? I agree, at present England are rubbish - but Fiji & NZ in the same pool [perhaps to meet in the final?] And Samoa - already won a tournament. The 'seedings' were just nonsense. Please do correct me...............
Posted 15:18 08th December 2012
JMehrtens says...
@rugby lover
If you suggesting SA influenced the draw, they did a terrible job.
Both Pool C and D would be a lot better.
Posted 12:20 08th December 2012
Maxgzy says...
Are you out of your mind?!?! Look at the South African group ! How is it not the hardest when England is so rubbish at the moment
Posted 12:09 08th December 2012
rugbylover says...
Guess where the competition is being played? Guess who "organised" the seedings?
Posted 09:50 08th December 2012