Fiji are the worthy champions of the Singapore world series sevens tournament after their 28-17 cup final victory over the All Blacks Sevens on Sunday night.
The Olympic gold medallists were too good for a youthful New Zealand team, cruising to a 21-0 halftime lead, before the All Blacks Sevens, who won Olympic silver last year, launched a comeback.
Given this was New Zealand’s first world series game in 25 months due to the pandemic, however, they will probably feel they overachieved - their lack of preparation made worse for the fact they were missing veterans Tim Mikkelson, Scott Curry and Andrew Knewstubb and Joe Webber, the latter pair injured in Singapore.
They were always going to be up against it given Fiji’s quality and the fact they hadn’t beaten their opponents in a cup final since 2012.
All Blacks sevens win thrilling semifinal over Ireland to face Fiji in final
Led by the great Jerry Tuwai, Fiji had far too much firepower and they got the perfect start when Vuiviawa Naduvalo was over after a series of typical Fijian offloads.
New Zealand simply couldn't win the ball and Waisea Nacuqu was next to go over for a try which he converted superbly from wide on the left.
A rare New Zealand foray ended when Leroy Carter threw a forward pass to Dylan Collier, and Joseva Talacolo rubbed it in with another converted try. Carter was then yellow carded for an alleged intentional knock on.
And yet, New Zealand’s young debutants Carter, Moses Leo and Caleb Tangitau refused to be overawed and when Regan Ware went over after a Sam Dickson offload following good work by 19-year-old Tangitau on the right, the match tipped the All Blacks Sevens’ way slightly.
Naduvalo’s second try following a typical Jerry Tuwai break put the brakes on the comeback, but a brilliant individual try by North Harbour’s Leo from 50m out, and then a Tangitau score on the right, ensured New Zealand finished on a positive.
Fiji qualified for the final after beating Australia in their semifinal and South Africa in their quarter-final.
The All Blacks Sevens made the final after a last-ditch semifinal win over Ireland and a close quarter-final win over Samoa.
Australia beat Ireland 21-19 in the playoff for third place.
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