(Photo World Rugby)
Fiji pulled off a stunning extra time 24-19 win over South Africa to top Pool A of the HSBC SVNS in Singapore earlier today.
Fiji, New Zealand, France and South Africa have all booked their places in the men’s competition.
In the women’s competition, a rampant New Zealand is joined by Canada, Australia and USA in the semi-finals. spots
The All Blacks, who won here in 2024 and was triumphant in Dubai two months ago, will take on Fiji in the men’s semi-finals.
The other semi-final will see South Africa take on France.
POOL A: Fiji and Blitzboks show their class to reach last four
Fiji will be overflowing with self-belief when they take on New Zealand in tomorrrow’s semi-final.
Three Pool A wins against Great Britain, USA and South Africa have seen to that and encouraged hopes the Fijians could repeat last year’s title win in Singapore.
In the final game of Saturday, they thrillingly beat the Blitzboks 24-19 in extra-time to top Pool A and lay down an emphatic marker.
Fiji, noted for their dazzling attacking skills, opened with a 22-19 win over Great Britain with the prolific Viwa Naduvalo claiming a superb hat-trick.
Nacani Boginisoko added Fiji’s fourth while Charlton Kerr, Brent Jackson and Joshua Radcliffe scored for Great Britain.
South Africa beat Spain 21-14 in their opener with tries from Donavan Don, Zander Reynders and Shilton van Wyk with Anton Legorburu Anso and Francisco Cosculluela scoring in reply.
Fiji claimed their second win of the day with a resounding 28-7 victory over Spain courtesy of tries from Iowane Teba, George Bose, Terio Veilawa and Nacani Boginisoko.
Josep Serres claimed the Spaniards’ only try as they were outscored by four tries to one.
South Africa then enjoyed a huge win after beating Great Britain 33-12.
A sublime display harvested tries for Donavan Don, Tristan Leyds, Shilton van Wyk, Ryan Oosthuizen and Sebastiaan Jobb while Joshua Radcliffe and Matt Davidson went over for Great Britain.
Spain beat Great Britain 29-14 to secure their only win with tries from Jaime Manteca, Juan Ramos, Jeremy Trevithick (two) and Gabriel Rocaries.
Marcus Kershaw and Brent Jackson replied for Great Britain, who lost all three games.
The real drama was still to come, though, as Fiji edged out South Africa in the final game of the day.
Tristan Leyds, Donavan Don and Christie Grobbelaar touched down for the Blitzboks but Fiji were not to be denied.
Terio Veilawa scored twice and Jeremaia Matana was also on target before Nacani Boginisoko burst clear to score a superb winner in extra-time.
POOL B: France top group and New Zealand also progress
France did not win a game in Singapore last year but earned a notable 19-12 victory over New Zealand in their opening game on Saturday.
Simon Desert, Antoine Zeghdar and Nelson Epee touched down with Akuila Rokolisoa and Regan Ware replying for New Zealand.
The All Black Sevens players wore black armbands as a mark of respect to honour those who died in the recent landslides at Mount Maunganui.
This tragedy is close to home with their womens and mens teams based on New Zealand’s North Island.
Led out by captain Henry Hutchison – the most capped Australian in Sevens history with 62 tournaments – Australia beat a gutsy Argentina 19-14 in their opener.
They established control through Aden Ekanayake, Jayden Blake and Dietrich Roache before Los Pumas 7s hit back through Marcos Moneta and Santiago Mare to ensure a tense finish.
France showed their class again with a comprehensive 31-7 win over Australia.
Simon Desert, Jordan Sepho (two), Nelson Epee and Paul Leraitre touched down for the French, with the Australians’ sole reply coming from Aden Ekanayake.
There was a much closer-fought affair when New Zealand edged out Argentina 26-20 with tries from Tone Ng Shiu, Frank Vaenuku, Kitiona Vai and 19-year-old Kele Lasaqa’s dramatic late winner.
Santino Zangara, Santiago Vera Feld, Marcos Moneta and Eliseo Morales were on target for Los Pumas 7s.
New Zealand then beat Australia 29-10 with tries from Akuila Rokolisoa, Sofai Notoa-Tipo, Rob Rush (two), Michael Manson with Aden Ekanayake and Jayden Blake scoring for the Australians.
Tries from Paulin Riva, Simon Desert and Ali Dabo gave France a 19-15 win over Argentina, for whom Santino Zangara scored a delightful hat-trick.
Rampant Black Ferns signal title pedigree
Defending champions New Zealand are on course for a third consecutive women’s title after booking their semi-final spot in sensational fashion.
The Black Ferns Sevens won all three games – against Great Britain, Canada and France – to top Pool B and set up a mouthwatering showdown with USA on Sunday.
The other semi-final will see Australia, who also won their three games, face Canada as another thrilling day of action at the Singapore National Stadium reaches a crescendo.
New Zealand scored a total of 138 points in their three games to suggest it could take a special team to stop them going all the way tomorrow.
POOL A: Australia and USA flash a title warning after booking semi-final spots
USA conjured a stunning second-half comeback to overturn Japan’s 19-0 interval lead and win 22-19 in their Pool A opener.
Japan appeared to be in control after tries from Hazuki Ouchida (two) and captain Hanako Utsumi.
But the USA Eagles hit back with doubles from Kaylen Thomas and Su Adegoke to secure their first-ever pool win in Singapore.
It was a sister act for Australia – champions in Cape Town and runner-up in Dubai – who showed their experience to beat Fiji 35-7 in a statement win.
The formidable Maddison Levi scored a superb individual opener to register her 222nd try in sevens rugby before her younger sibling Teagan added Australia’s second.
Captain Madison Ashby claimed a third try before Fiji replied through Reapi Ulunisau but further Australia scores from Kaitlin Shave and Faith Nathan.
USA beat Fiji 17-12 with Ariana Ramsey (two) and Sariah Ibarra touching down and Silika Qalo and Adi vani Buleki scoring for Fiji.
Australia showed their class with another win as they beat Japan 26-19 courtesy of tries from Maya Stewart’s double and scores from Maddison Levi and Heidi Dennis.
Japan, who were 19-0 down at the break, registered tries from Mei Ohtani, Haruna Konishi and Yume Hirano.
Fiji 7s beat Japan 34-12 with tries from Alfreda Fisher, Verenaisi Ditavutu (two), Sesenieli Donu, Sera Bolatini and Mariana Talatoka with Ria Anoku and Mei Ohtani crossing for Japan.
In the final game, Australia beat the USA 26-19 to top Pool A.
Maddison Levi took centre stage again with a hat-trick while a Kaylen Thomas brace and a penalty saw the scores level before Maya Stewart’s late try secured a 26-19 win.
POOL B: Canada open with thriller as New Zealand flex their muscles
Canada captain Carissa Norsten scored a dramatic extra-time try to secure a 29-24 victory over France to kick off the day’s action in fine style.
Canada were quickest out of the blocks as they raced into a 17-0 lead with scores from Alysha Corrigan, Kennedi Stevenson and Norsten.
But a pacey France side – with an average age of just 20 – responded through Kelly Arbey before the break.
Stevenson scored her second for Canada but tries from Lili Dezou, Arbey and Lou Noel levelled matters at 24-24 before Norsten’s extra-time clincher.
The match also saw Breanne Nicholas equal the great Bianca Farella’s all-time record of 45 Sevens caps for Canada.
New Zealand then underlined their pedigree by scoring 10 tries in a commanding 64-0 victory over Great Britain.
The prolific Jorja Miller raced clear from distance and Katelyn Vahaakolo, the mercurial Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Mahina Paul and Risi Pouri-Lane all touched down before the break.
After the interval, Vahaakolo, Paul, Olive Watherstone, Kelsey Teneti and Sorensen-McGee underlined the Black Ferns Sevens’ superiority.
It was a poignant occasion for their players who wore black armbands as a mark of respect to honour those who died in the recent landslides at Mount Maunganui.
This tragedy is close to home with the womens and mens teams based on New Zealand’s North Island.
France earned their first win after an impressive 32-5 success over Great Britain.
Anaick Konyi, Lili Dezou, Mariama Tandiang (two), Kelly Arbey and Lou Noel scored for the French, while Great Britain’s only score came from Katie Shillaker.
New Zealand registered their 40th win over Canada with a 19-12 success with the impressive Jorja Miller scoring twice and Stacey Waaka also on target with Olivia Apps claiming a brace in reply.
Canada won the second of their three games by comfortably beating Great Britain 52-0 with tries from Olivia Apps, Breanne Nicholas, Krissy Scurfield (two), Alysha Corrigan, Kennedi Stevenson and a brace from Sabrina Poulin.
New Zealand beat France 55-7 with scores from Jorja Miller, Kelsey Teneti, Stacey Waaka (two), Mahina Paul, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Alena Saili (two) and Jaymie Kolose with Mariama Tandiang scoring for the French.
