Kiwi 7s team unbeaten in Adelaide pool play
New Zealand's reward for completing pool play unbeaten at Adelaide's leg of the International Rugby Board's sevens world series is a quarterfinal with recent nemesis Samoa.
New Zealand claimed top spot in pool A by thrashing Argentina 47-7 in their final group match at the Adelaide Oval but now have to beat the side that dented their ambitions in Wellington and Las Vegas to remain in contention for the Cup title tomorrow.
Samoa appeared on course to rule pool B but a try after the hooter by South Africa's Frankie Horne and a wonky angled conversion from Cecil Afrika salvaged a 12-all draw and enabled the defending champions to finish first on points differential.
Samoa has emerged as New Zealand's biggest threat since knocking their hosts out at the semifinal stage in Wellington before shading them in the Las Vegas final.
New Zealand made short work of the South Americans by racing out to a 35-0 lead at halftime.
Save Tokula made an immediate impact on his belated introduction, marking his return from a four-game suspension imposed in Las Vegas by setting up the opening minute score for Kurt Baker before powering to his own double.
Tim Mikkelson, Tomasi Cama, Toby Arnold and Leka Tupuola also dotted down before New Zealand conceded their first points of the tournament - in the final minute - when Joaquim Tuculet converted his own try.
Earlier, New Zealand blanked Tonga 26-0 to add to last night's 31-0 drubbing of Scotland.
The other quarterfinals see South Africa play Argentina while Wales face the United States and Fiji - upset by Wales last night - have drawn Australia after beating Kenya 21-7 in their must-win clash in pool C.
Unbeaten Australia advanced to the quarter-finals of the Adelaide Sevens and an encounter with Fiji after beating England 17-12 in a spirited final pool match on day two.
The result eliminated England from the cup competition, punishment for an upset loss to the USA on opening night.
Kimami Sitauti ran in two tries for the home side before Liam Gill crossed the line for the winner in front of about 9,000 spectators at Adelaide Oval.
Gill was sent off for a high tackle in the closing minutes, but a handful of desperate tackles guided the Australians through.
Their victory had the added benefit of pushing them closer to passing England into fourth on the IRB Sevens table.
The usual suspects New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji and Samoa all advanced, while Argentina and Wales also progressed to the cup quarter-finals.
Australia had earlier trounced the USA 36-0 to secure their path to the knockout phases of the tournament.
The Australians ran in six tries to nil, including a hat-trick to their opportunist centre Karauria-Henry. New Zealand 47 (Save Tokula 2, Kurt Baker, Tim Mikkelson, Tomasi Cama, Toby Arnold, Leka Tupuola tries; Cama 6 con) Argentina 7 (Joaquim Tuculet try con) Halftime: 35-0
New Zealand 26 (Tomasi Cama, Nafi Tuitavake, Ben Souness, DJ Forbes tries; Cama 3 con) Tonga 0. Halftime: 12-0
- with AAP
- NZPA
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