Relive 1 NEWS Now's updates of the Hamilton Sevens from FMG Stadium in Waikato.
CUP DRAW:
QUARTER FINAL 1 - FIJI v CANADA
QUARTER FINAL 2 - SOUTH AFRICA v SAMOA
QUARTER FINAL 3 - NEW ZEALAND v AUSTRALIA
QUARTER FINAL 4 - USA v SCOTLAND
FULLTIME - NZL 24-0 SPA
Kurt Baker has the final day with a runaway try. A gutsy effort from Spain but NZ are through to the Cup quarter-final, set to face Australia tomorrow.
8:53pm: NZL 17-0 SPA
TRY! Jona Nareki makes an awesome break down the right edge at around halfway. He brushes off several Spain defenders before throwing a basketball pass to Sione Molia who goes over to score the third try for NZ.
8:49pm: NZL 12-0 SPA
TRY! Tim Mikkelson scores his first try of the tournament for NZ. He darts down the right edge and crosses the try-line after Spain were penalised for a breakdown infringement.
8:45pm: NZL 7-0 SPA
HALFTIME - Spain have come to play! New Zealand were almost kept scoreless in the first that was until Joe Ravouvou made an excellent break just before the break around halfway. Ravouvou offloaded the ball to Dylan Collier who scored under the posts untouched. NZ lead 7-0 at halftime over Spain.
8:34pm: CAN 26-0 JPN
Canada's skipper Nathan Hiriyama scored the first try, after some great offloading skills from his teammates. Japan's discipline and mistakes proved costly as Canada went into the break 14-0 up. Canada piled further misery for Japan running in two more tries in the second half - Canada too good beating Japan 26-0.
8:12pm: FIJ 26-19 AUS
The defending champions Fiji seem to be crowd favourites, going by the fans' chants of 'GO FIJI GO!' during their match against Australia. It was a cracking first half as Fiji looked to run away with it scoring three tries, but Australia weren't going anywhere scoring two converted tries as Fiji went into the halftime break with a 19-14 lead. Australia were the first to strike in the second spell to level the scores 19-19, but Fiji responded with a try of their own, holding on to win 26-19.
7:51pm: FIJ 0-0 AUS
Up next we have the flying Fijians taking on Australia!
7:49pm: ARG 36-7 WAL
Argentina had the last say in their fixture against a tired Welsh outfit. They dominated Wales 36-7, but the win isn't quite enough to get the South Americans through to tomorrow's Cup quarter-finals.
7:30pm: USA 19-7 ENG
USA finish on top of Pool B and remain unbeaten for the tournament after defeating England 19-7. USA and Samoa will both advance to tomorrow's Cup quarter-final.
7:05pm: SAM 28-12 TON
Tonga showed great fight to get back into this match, but a yellow card late in the second half proved costly. Samoa were up 14-12 before one of Tonga's players were sent to the bin for an intentional knock down. Samoa ran in two more tries before fulltime, holding on to beat Tonga 28-12. Samoa will need USA to beat England next to guarantee themselves a spot in the the Cup quarter-final tomorrow.
6:40pm: RSA 26-7 SCO
South Africa were on another level, dominating possession and made their opportunities count. The Blitzbokke scored four tries to Scotland's one and remain unbeaten in the tournament.
6:20pm: KEN 19-14 FRA
This one goes right down to the wire, France had a chance to get the win but Kenya hold on. France are winless so far for the tournament. With the final play of the game France had a chance to spread the ball to the right where there was space, but instead decide to take it back to the middle of the park. The French player is isolated and Kenya earn themselves a turnover at the breakdown. The ref blows his whistle for a penalty and Kenya tap the ball and kick it out - Kenya win 19-14.
FULLTIME - NZL 24-5 FRA (Women's)
TRY! The Black Ferns Sevens have the last say with Michaela Blyda skipping and stepping through two defenders on her way to the try-line.
5:22pm - NZL 17-5 FRA (Women's)
TRY! NZ have been pinned in their 22 for the last two minutes and the French take advantage of two back-to-back penalties. The visitors have an overlap down the left side and they quickly shift the ball into space. France are in and they score their first try of the match.
HALFTIME - NZL 17-0 FRA (Women's)
It's been all the Black Ferns Sevens in the first half. they run in three tries. The NZ side have starved the French team of possession and made their opportunities count.
5:16pm: NZL 17-0 FRA (Women's)
HAT-TRICK! Niall Williams earns her side a penalty after France are penalised for not releasing the ball in the tackle. France are caught short down the left edge and Stacey Waaka is in for her third try. She is on fire!
5:14pm: NZL 12-0 FRA (Women's)
TRY! The Black Ferns Sevens team make France pay after they drop the ball. Ruby Tui recognises the space down the right flank and she throws the ball to Stacey Waaka who has too much speed for opposite. She runs around the French defender and picks up her second try of the match.
5:11pm: NZL 7-0 FRA (Women's)
TRY! Stacey Waaka takes on her opposite down the right edge. She hesitates for a second before pulling out a wicked right foot step, she bamboozles the French defender and races away to score under the goal posts.
5:08pm: ENG 33-14 CHI (Women's)
China did well to fight their way back into the match, at one stage the scores were level at 14-14. But England runaway with it in the end, beating China 33-14.
4:49pm - FULLTIME - NZ 49-10 CAN
New Zealand prove too strong running in one more try before the fulltime whislte through Andrew Knewstubb. The Kiwis are unbeaten so far in the tournament.
4:47pm NZ 42-10 CAN
TRY! NZ opt to go down the right flank and they score through Sione Molia. There was noone in front of him and he scores New Zealand's sixth try of the match.
4:45pm NZ 35-10 CAN
TRY! Joe Ravouvou goes solo, he regathers the ball off the kick-off and sprints away to score the All Blacks Sevens' first try of the second spell.
4:43pm NZ 28-10 CAN
TRY! Canada are in again! They take advantage of a penalty after NZ were penalised for a high tackle, they tap and go. Canada's Cole Davis puts his head down and crashes over to score.
4:40pm NZ 28-5 CAN
TRY! Canada spread the ball out to the left side with Justin Douglas putting on the after burners, he runs around NZ's Scott Curry and goes in to score his team's first try of the match after the break.
HALFTIME - NZ 28-0 CAN
A dominant first half by the men in back, running in four unanswered tries against Canada.
4:36pm NZ 28-0 CAN
TRY! Scott Curry runs into a huge hole and crosses over to score under the posts. It is off a set piece move and Kurt Baker takes the right option hitting Curry right on the chest with his superb pass.
4:33pm NZ 21-0 CAN
TRY! Sam Dickson starts it for NZ, he sucks in two defenders at halfway before delivering a perfect offload to Regan Ware. Ware has one more defender to beat and he steps off his right and speeds away to score his second try of the match.
4:32pm NZ 14-0 CAN
TRY! Regan Ware pounces on a loose ball and pulls out a great goose step to beat the first Canadian defender. He shows great pace to go all the way and score New Zealand's second try of the match.
4:30pm NZ 7-0 CAN
TRY! It only takes nine seconds and New Zealand have scored straight off the kick-off! Vilimoni Kiroi regathers the ball with no Canadian player contesting the kick-off and Kiroi speeds away and scores under the goal posts. An excellent start for the All Blacks Sevens team.
4:28pm: SPA 22-19 JAP
Spain edge the Japan 22-19 with Japan scoring a consolation try to end the match.
4:05pm: FIJ 33-24 ARG
The defending champions Fiji were the first to strike but Argentina were quick to answer with a try of their own in the first spell to lock up the scores 5-5. The flying Fijians quickly ran in two more tries in the first half with Argentina scoring one more before halftime. Fiji led at the break 19-12. Fiji proved strong in the end defeating Argentina 33-24.
3:38pm AUS 26-5 WAL
Australia go 2/2 for the tournament defeating Wales 26-5. Wales were never really in this match with Australia dominating territory and possession throughout the match. Australia scored four tries in the first half, leading at the break 26-0. Wales did manage to pick up a consolation try in the second half.
3:15pm: USA 34-14 SAM
Even without their star player Perry Baker, USA were unstoppable - defeating a plucky Samoa side 34-14. Samoa were the first to get on the scoreboard, but from there it was all Team USA. Perry Baker has been ruled out to play for the remainder of the tournament after suffering a broken jaw during his team's match against Tonga.
2:54pm: ENG 36-7 TON
Tonga surprisingly were the first team to score against England. But they couldn't hold out the attacking flair from England. After going to Samoa earlier in the day, England bounced back to thump the men in red 36-7.
2:28pm: SA 17-5 FRA
South Africa took a while to break the defensive line of France, but they eventually got through and over the try-line in the fourth minute of the match. The Blitzbokke went into halftime with a 10-0 lead over the French. Samuel Alerte scored the first try after the break to get France back into the match after a long passage of play. But South Africa showed their class holding on to win 17-5.
1:48pm: NZL 19-14 ENG (Women's)
FT: The kickoff from ENG doesn't go 10m! What a mistake! That hands the ball to NZL with the hooter going and they kick it into touch to seal the win. Cracking game and the Black Ferns Sevens win their first ever game on home soil!
13min: ENG strike back! They get a penalty shortly after kickoff and Helena Rowland takes it quickly. She surges through the middle of the field to score with 30s left.
12min: NZL attack down the left with Broughton and Waaka! Broughton gets it to Waaka who reaches ENG's 22m. She's got two defenders on her, offloads back to Broughton and she goes in in the left corner. Could that seal the game? NZL 19-7 ENG
11min: ENG can't hold on and knock it on! NZL get a scrum 30m from their line. Brilliant defence holds under all sorts of pressure to start the half. NZL 14-7 ENG
10min: ENG continue to hold onto the ball but haven't found that breakthrough yet. They get advantage off a knock on from an attempted intercept and come back for it. Their feed on the Kiwi 22m. NZL 14-7 ENG
9min: ENG building pressure in the midfield and earn a penalty for their efforts. They kick for touch with it and earn another lineout. This one 25m from NZL's line. NZL 14-7 ENG
7min: ENG gets things back underway and it's taken in by NZL with ease. They look to attack on the left wing but the ball is loose and goes into touch. ENG lineout 40m from NZL's line. NZL 14-7 ENG
HT: ENG finally make a break through the middle of the field to score but more serious news is Hirini has gone down with what looks like a serious leg injury. Not sure what's done it but she is limping heavily. NZL 14-7 ENG
7min: NZL get a turnover and look to attack on the right but it's a forward pass to Waaka! Bugger. ENG scrum on their 22m for the last play of the half.
5min: Another kickoff taken in by ENG. They look to build an attack on their 22m but NZL won't budge. There's a turnover on halfway and NZL try to counterattack but are penalised for not releasing at the ensuing tackle. NZL 14-0 ENG
4min: NZL are patient to build their attack and finally Waaka bursts through the line. She finds support in her captain Sarah Hirini (formerly Goss) and the skipper goes over to score. NZL 14-0 ENG
2min: ENG recover the kickoff and try to shovel the ball left but get tackled deep inside their 22m. They work the ball down the right wing but Blyde is there to stop the attack. ENG try to recyle but lose the ball and NZ look for counter attack on halfway! NZL 7-0 ENG
1min: NZL go down the line to the left and the ball hits Blyde at pace. She's through the hole and under the posts to score! She's scored plenty of tries in the black jersey but that will be one she remembers forever. NZL 7-0 ENG
0min: Big roar from the crowd as the home team comes out to play on NZ soil for the first time. NZL kick things off and ENG claim it but there's a knock on! NZL scrum 10m inside ENG half.
1:25pm: FRA 31-7 CHI (Women's)
The Fast Four section of the weekend is underway and it's a dominant win for France! After scoring in the opening minute, the French refused to let up and carved out a 19-0 lead at halftime.
China showed impressive improvement in the second half to retain the ball for the first four minutes but couldn't make any ground with it until Lyu Hewen finally broke through with a quick tap penalty to score a 70m try.
That was about as positive as it got for China though as France responded immediately to put the final nail in the coffin. One final score after the hooter pushed the score to 31-7.
12:59pm: NZL 52-0 JAP
FT: ABs 7s get the ball again off the kickoff and they go edge-to-edge before a tackle is made 5m out. It comes back to the left wing and Ravouvou is in untouched. What a start to the tournament for the hosts! NZL 52-0 JAP
14min: Ravouvou comes off the bench and makes a huge impact. Runs through the first tackle, fends off the second and hands it off to Koroi to finish. Sublime try. 10s left in the game. NZL 45-0 JAP
12min: Japan get inside the ABs 7s 22m having built a nice attack but it all goes to waste as they go off their feet in the ruck. ABs 7s go quickly from deep inside their half. NZL 40-0 JAP
11min: ABs 7s get the kickoff again but they knock it on shortly after. They make matters worse by getting penalised for killing the ball in the ensuing ruck. Japan go quick just inside their half. NZL 40-0 JAP
10min: ABs 7s recover the kickoff and they're in again! A wicked behind the back pass from Baker bounces up perfectly for Nareki to run onto on halfway and he surges through the broken Japan line to score his second. NZL 40-0 JAP
8min: Japan set a scrum on their 22m and look to go the right but they're penalised at the first tackle for not releasing again. ABs 7s go quickly again and Ware carves through FIVE DEFENDERS to score. What a solo effort! NZL 33-0 JAP
7min: All Blacks get the ball of the restart but Molia knocks it on so there's a scrum. First handling error of the game for NZ. NZL 26-0 JAP
HT: Japan finally gets some ball after they get the kickoff but they can't do a lot with it. They give up a penalty for not releasing on halfway and the ABs 7s go quickly. They attack on that left wing again and Molia offloads to Collier to give them a fourth try on the hooter. NZL 26-0 JAP
5min: Japan claim the kickoff but two tacklers arrive and bundle them into touch. ABs 7s take the lineout quickly and send the ball down the left wing and Knewstubb is in space to score. NZL 21-0 JAP
3min: Japan's defence is trying to hold on but the hole finally appears and an offload to Nareki is in under the posts. NZL 14-0 JAP
2min: ABs 7s kick off and collect it. They go down the line to the left wing to Collier and he's taken down in Japan's 22m. Comes back to the right for another tackle. NZL 7-0 JAP
0min: Japan kicks off and gets the turnover but a lose pass sees the ABs 7s recover it on halfway. They get the ball to Molia in the middle of the paddock, he steps inside his man and blitzes away to score! NZL 7-0 JAP
12:35pm: SPA 12-12 CAN
A tight contest that neither team can come out on top in. Spain had one last chance but a brain explosion sees Juan Pedro Ramos kick the ball into touch. Once he realises what he's done, he's mortified. Up next, All Blacks Sevens v Japan!
12:12pm: FIJ 54-7 WAL
Last year's champs have come to play! They absolutely dominate Wales to the delight of the roaring Hamilton crowd and start their campaign with huge win - even after losing a man to the bin for two minutes.
11:51am: AUS 17-12 ARG
Australia survive a tense final minute to beat Los Pumas. With just over a minute left, Argentina score to move the score to 17-12 before getting the ball back with 13s left thanks to an Australian knock on. But the Aussie defence holds and they get a turnover to kill play.
11:26am: USA 29-7 TON
OUCH! One of the biggest names in men's sevens, Perry Baker, may have had his tournament cut short after being knocked out from a head clash.
Baker looks to make a fast break happen but as he tries to step around Tana Fotofili the two collide and Baker goes flying into the turf and lays there motionless. Ref yellow cards Fotofili but it won't make an impact with the score 29-7 and 37s left in the game.
Baker finally gets back to his feet and is helped off the field but it's certainly a worrying sight for USA. They get the win but they may have lost their best scorer for it.
11:06am: ENG 10-12 SAM
First upset of the tournament! Samoa stun England as they let out screams of delight after kicking the ball dead.
Samoa jumped out to a 12-0 lead and England were made to fight their way back into the contest. They did just that and scored under the posts with a minute left to make the scores 10-12. But Tom Mitchell misses the conversion from right in front! Game over. England's campaign off to rough start.
10:41am: RSA 29-10 KEN
Strong start from last year's finalists as the Blitzbokke run out a five-try-to-two win over Kenya. Winger Werner Kok said after the match this is just the start though.
"We’re happy with the win but there’s still a lot of mistakes that we will have to connect in the next match. We have to be more patient, keep the ball and play with each other.
"The first game is always the toughest, you can ask every team on the circuit. If you get the first one done, then after that it’s going to be better."
10:24am: SCO 26-21 FRA
What a start to the tournament! Scotland complete a masterful comeback to pip France. They trailed 21-7 but two quick tries and a game-winner from Glenn Bryce gets them the W.
PREVIEW
Twenty teams have descended upon Hamilton for an action-packed weekend of sevens rugby with 16 men's teams squaring off in the third leg of the 2018/19 season and four women's teams playing each other in the Fast Four.
For the men, it's the first event of 2019 after previous legs in Dubai and Cape Town last year.
The All Blacks Sevens won the first leg but finished fourth in South Africa. A win on home soil, which would be their first since 2016 when the tournament was held in Wellington, would see them take top spot from USA in the overall standings.
The Flying Fijians are the defending champions, though, after beating the Blitzbokke 27-17 in last year's final.
The All Blacks Sevens face Japan in their first match at 12:36pm, then Canada at 4:26pm, and finish off their day's action against Spain at 8:36pm.
Meanwhile, the Black Ferns Sevens will feature twice today in the Fast Four competition. It's the first time they'll play on New Zealand soil.
They open their campaign against England at 1:26pm, and France at 5:10pm. On Sunday, they will face China.
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