World Rugby 7s: Kenya Surrender Lead to Lose against Fiji in Singapore

Fiji held their nerve to score three second-half tries to defeat Kenya 21-12 at Singapore’s National Stadium on day two of the HSBC SVNS event.

Having been unable to capitalise on Fiji captain Sevuloni Mocenacagi’s two minutes in the sin bin, Nygel Pettersan Amaitsa raced on to a through ball and managed to touch down and convert the try to give Kenya the lead at half-time.

But Kenya, who were ninth in the rankings coming in to the tournament, could not halt the comeback as Viwa Naduvalo scored twice and Rauto Vakadranu added another. William Mwanji Indakalu pulled one back but Kenya ran out of time.

HSBC Player of the Final Viwa Naduvalo said: “Thanks to my teammates for giving 100% effort. We ended up with the win.”

Fiji go into the World Championships in Los Angeles in May in second place in the table, eight points adrift of League Winners Argentina. Kenya will contest the relegation playoffs.

3rd-PLACE PLAYOFF

League champions Argentina made it five podium finishes from the six HSBC SVNS events this season as they scored five tries to respond to Asher Perez and Pol Pla strikes for Spain.

Though not at their best following clinching the League Winners’ crown on day one, Los Pumas recovered well through Marcos Moneta and Tobias Wade to tie the game at 14-all.

Luciano Gonzalez blitzed through the Spanish midfield and got to about 15m before being felled only for German Schulz to float a kick out to Matteo Graziano  to score. Gonzalez and Agustin Fraga got on the scoresheet too to claim third place 33-14, while Spain’s fourth place was their best ever in Singapore.

SEMI-FINALS

Ninth-ranked Kenya upset Spain to win their semi-final 12-5. Lightning-fast Patrick Odongo Okong’o brings a crowd to its feet when he gets his hands on the ball and he proved to be the match-winner, running in two tries.

“We put in the work and it finally paid off,” said Odongo Okong’o pitch side afterwards.

Kenya, who played in the Challenger Series last year, were just over a minute away from reaching the final when a mistake allowed Pol Pla to slide over and set up a tense finish, but to the delight of their fans in the National Stadium they held on.

Argentina clinched the League title on day one in Singapore, but were second best to Fiji in the second semi-final, which was a thriller. Marcos Moneta came out best in a race and wrestle with Fiji’s George Bose but Filipe Sauturaga restored parity. Luciano Gonzalez boomed over for Los Pumas before once more Fiji hit back, this time through Sakiusa Siqila in the corner.

Straightaway, George Bose kicked on and touched down after a knockdown by Joseva Talacolo from kick-off and in the second period Fiji showcased their big hits and beautiful offloads to move 26-12 in front through Sevuloni Mocenacagi.

From a lineout, Tomas Elizalde made an angle to cut the gap for Argentina, but following a sensational spinning offload by 7, Kavekini Tanivanuakula had time to kiss the ball on his way to a swan-dive score. Matteo Graziano scored a late consolation for Argentina in a 33-24 loss.

5th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Great Britain matched the fifth place finish they notched in Vancouver by winning a thrilling playoff against Uruguay by a single score. The 33-29 defeat will be painful for Juan Gonzalez whose first-half hat-trick was looking like a match-winning contribution.

However, with Britain trailing 29-28, Harry Glover put two opponents on their backs with one tackle, conversion king Will Homer charged to within a metre of the try line and from the ensuing ruck Callum Carson showed guts and skill to pick out Marcus Kershaw on the right wing with his boot. Kershaw made a successful catch but had to get off the turf to battle through two tackles and touch down for the winner.

“I didn’t really want it, to be honest,” said Kershaw of Carson’s crossfield kick. “I just saw him kick it and tried to make something of a bad situation.”

5TH-PLACE SEMI-FINALS

Uruguay and Great Britain set up a 5th-place final meeting with respective wins over Ireland and New Zealand.

Juan Gonzalez collected from kick-off and brilliantly waltzed through the Ireland team to set the tone for slick Los Teros, who won 27-5. Mateo Vinals helped himself to a brace, the latter after Mark Roche had been sin binned. Ignacio Alvarez Akiki and Diego Ardao also got on the scoresheet, while Conor Phillips showed everyone a clean pair of heels to go over for Ireland.

Jet-propelled Brit Luke Mehson and Brady Rush traded tries before Morgan Williams rounded off a good team try for Britain. Andrew Knewstubb scored his first of the weekend but while he was in the sin bin for a deliberate knockdown, GB captain Harry Glover sliced through to make it 19-10.

Amanaki Nicole made a big saving challenge to keep New Zealand in it but that was a temporary reprieve as Marcus Kershaw found acres of space to score his first try for his country. Tone Ng Shiu offloaded for the rampaging Frank Vaenuku to narrow the gap before he himself scored, but Great Britain clung on for a 24-22 win.

7th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Ireland secured a second consecutive 7th-place HSBC SVNS by edging out New Zealand 21-19 in an exciting playoff. Prior to the Hong Kong event, Ireland had not finished above the bottom two spots.

Zac McConnell put them in front but when Sione Molia, Frank Vaenuku and Molia, again, this time under pressure from Nicholas Greene, went over for the All Blacks Sevens, they looked sure of victory.

But Josh Kenny skipped a few tackles and offloaded to Dylan O’Grady who rocketed up the pitch to put Ireland within touching distance and the same Irishman cut a great angle to score the winner.

9th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Two tries by Tristan Leyds, which he converted himself, helped South Africa claim 9th place in a 26-7 win over Australia.

Siviwe Soyizwapi burst over from a stolen lineout and 31-year-old Selvyn Davids proved too fast for James Turner to make it 26-0.

But Turner showed he is no slouch as he outpaced Leyds and threw a pass to his brother Josh to score. In just about the final play, eye-catching Aden Ekanayake showed great spirit to launch himself on to the leaping David Brits a fraction before the Blitzbok was about to touch down.

11th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Ben Broselle scored the golden point for USA to consign last weekend’s silver medallists France to bottom place in Singapore.

Big Ryan Santos bounded down the right wing to cancel Mateo Garcia’s try for Les Bleus and Ben Broselle and Liam Delamare then traded scores to take it into extra-time during which Broselle dredged up the energy to sidestep Varian Pasquet and touch down.

9TH-PLACE SEMI-FINALS

A week ago in Hong Kong, France were runners-up and Australia took the bronze. In Singapore they met in a 9th-place semi-final. Australia’s mixture of youth and experience did for hesitant France. The veteran Maurice Longbottom made use of his low centre of gravity and eye for a gap to give the Aussies the lead before Gregoire Arfeuil replied. A classy grubber kick by Longbottom sent 19-year-old Hadley Tonga to collect and fizz over the line before Aden Ekanayake, one year older, squeezed through the French defence and ran in a try. Josh Turner leapt on a loose ball to score Australia’s fourth in a 28-5 win.

USA ran South Africa close in the other 9th-place semi. Jacob Broselle picked up a Jack Wendling offload to put them ahead but Zander Reynders scored and then surged forward as Richard Duarttee sniped for a 14-5 half-time Blitzboks lead. USA skipper Lucas Lacamp broke through to score and South Africa relied on a Duarttee saving tackle to preserve the 14-12 scoreline.