Uganda rugby sevens stun Tonga as Fiji, Kiwis reign
Mar 16, 2006
HEAVYWEIGTS Fiji and New Zealand remained on course for a final showdown in the Commonwealth Games rugby union sevens tournament after coming through the first day of competition without scatch.
Collated results from the first day of the Commonwealth Games rugby union sevens on Thursday:
Pool A
New Zealand 35 Wales 10
Kenya 31 Nambia 5
New Zealand 41 Nambia 7
Kenya 0 Wales 33
Wales 40 Nambia 7
New Zealand 41 Kenya 0
Pool B
Fiji 31 Canada 14
Scotland 33 Niue 5
Fiji 63 Niue 0
Scotland 7 Canada 10
Canada 24 Niue 7
Fiji 33 Scotland 7
Pool C
England 35 Cook Islands 5
Australia 73 Sri Lanka 0
England 61 Sri Lanka 0
Australia 28 Cook Islands 19
Cook Islands 0 Sri Lanka 47
England 14 Australia 12
Pool D
South Africa 19 Tonga 26
Samoa 31 Uganda 10
South Africa 63 Uganda 7
Samoa 25 Tonga 0
Tonga 14 Uganda 24
South Africa 12 Samoa 10
Friday
Quarter-finals
Medal
New Zealand v Canada
South Africa v Australia
England v Samoa
Fiji v Wales
Bowl
Kenya v Niue
Tonga v Sri Lanka
Cook Islands v Uganda
Scotland v Nambia
HEAVYWEIGTS Fiji and New Zealand remained on course for a final showdown in the Commonwealth Games rugby union sevens tournament after coming through the first day of competition without scatch.
There were only two upsets at the Telstra Dome and both involved Tonga, once when they started as underdog and again as clear favourite.
The South Sea islanders pulled off a stunning early win over medal contenders South Africa but ran out of steam to go down to an equally shocking loss to Commonwealth debutants Uganda, a team that only picks from a senior player base of 400.
Favourites Fiji, the reigning world champions, despatched Canada 31-14, Pacific island neighbours Niue 63-0 and Scotland 33-7 to set up a quarter-final tie with Wales, themselves winners over Kenya (33-0) and Nambia (40-7).
With player-coach Waisale Serevi and his successor-in-waiting William Ryder both in imperious form, Fiji look in good shape to claim their first Commonwealth gold although they face a tough semi-final clash against either England or Samoa should they beat Wales in the quarters as expected.
The Welsh went down 35-10 in their opening Pool A match against New Zealand, Commonwealth champions in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Manchester in 2002.
The Kiwis, orchestrated beautifully by veteran playmaker Amasio Valence and newcomer Cory Jane, comfortably saw off Nambia 41-7 and handed the Kenyans a 41-0 thumping.
They will play Canada in the quarters after the Canucks nipped group rivals Scotland 10-7 to seal second place behind Fiji.
Tonga, led superbly by inspirational captain Tevita Tu’ifua, pulled off a 26-19 win over South Africa 26-19, but they were unable to replicate their early form.
They struggled against the power of Pacific neighbours Samoa and finishing prowess of flying winger David Lemi, going down 25-0, before succumbing to a shock 24-14 loss of their own to Uganda.
That left South Africa, bronze medallists in the 2002 Commonmwealth Games in Manchester and currently ranked third in IRB standings, to fight it out with the Samoans for top spot in Pool D.
In Pool C, England and hosts Australia both secured easy wins over Sri Lanka, whose woeful defence leaked 181 points and whose toothless attack did not succeed in crossing the whitewash.
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Pool A
N. Zealand 3 3 0 0 117 17 9
Wales 3 2 0 1 83 42 7
Kenya 3 1 0 2 78 38 5
Namibia 3 0 0 3 19 112 3
Pool B
Fiji 3 3 0 0 127 21 9
Canada 3 2 0 1 48 45 7
Scotland 3 1 0 2 47 48 5
Niue 3 0 0 3 12 120 3
Pool C
England 3 3 0 0 110 17 9
Australia 3 2 0 1 113 33 7
Cook Isle 3 1 0 2 71 63 5
Sri Lanka 3 0 0 3 0 181 3
Pool D
S. Africa 3 2 0 1 94 43 7
Samoa 3 2 0 1 66 22 7
Tonga 3 1 0 2 40 43 5
Uganda 3 1 0 2 41 108 5
Additional reporting by Agencies
Pool A
New Zealand 35 Wales 10
Kenya 31 Nambia 5
New Zealand 41 Nambia 7
Kenya 0 Wales 33
Wales 40 Nambia 7
New Zealand 41 Kenya 0
Pool B
Fiji 31 Canada 14
Scotland 33 Niue 5
Fiji 63 Niue 0
Scotland 7 Canada 10
Canada 24 Niue 7
Fiji 33 Scotland 7
Pool C
England 35 Cook Islands 5
Australia 73 Sri Lanka 0
England 61 Sri Lanka 0
Australia 28 Cook Islands 19
Cook Islands 0 Sri Lanka 47
England 14 Australia 12
Pool D
South Africa 19 Tonga 26
Samoa 31 Uganda 10
South Africa 63 Uganda 7
Samoa 25 Tonga 0
Tonga 14 Uganda 24
South Africa 12 Samoa 10
Friday
Quarter-finals
Medal
New Zealand v Canada
South Africa v Australia
England v Samoa
Fiji v Wales
Bowl
Kenya v Niue
Tonga v Sri Lanka
Cook Islands v Uganda
Scotland v Nambia
HEAVYWEIGTS Fiji and New Zealand remained on course for a final showdown in the Commonwealth Games rugby union sevens tournament after coming through the first day of competition without scatch.
There were only two upsets at the Telstra Dome and both involved Tonga, once when they started as underdog and again as clear favourite.
The South Sea islanders pulled off a stunning early win over medal contenders South Africa but ran out of steam to go down to an equally shocking loss to Commonwealth debutants Uganda, a team that only picks from a senior player base of 400.
Favourites Fiji, the reigning world champions, despatched Canada 31-14, Pacific island neighbours Niue 63-0 and Scotland 33-7 to set up a quarter-final tie with Wales, themselves winners over Kenya (33-0) and Nambia (40-7).
With player-coach Waisale Serevi and his successor-in-waiting William Ryder both in imperious form, Fiji look in good shape to claim their first Commonwealth gold although they face a tough semi-final clash against either England or Samoa should they beat Wales in the quarters as expected.
The Welsh went down 35-10 in their opening Pool A match against New Zealand, Commonwealth champions in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Manchester in 2002.
The Kiwis, orchestrated beautifully by veteran playmaker Amasio Valence and newcomer Cory Jane, comfortably saw off Nambia 41-7 and handed the Kenyans a 41-0 thumping.
They will play Canada in the quarters after the Canucks nipped group rivals Scotland 10-7 to seal second place behind Fiji.
Tonga, led superbly by inspirational captain Tevita Tu’ifua, pulled off a 26-19 win over South Africa 26-19, but they were unable to replicate their early form.
They struggled against the power of Pacific neighbours Samoa and finishing prowess of flying winger David Lemi, going down 25-0, before succumbing to a shock 24-14 loss of their own to Uganda.
That left South Africa, bronze medallists in the 2002 Commonmwealth Games in Manchester and currently ranked third in IRB standings, to fight it out with the Samoans for top spot in Pool D.
In Pool C, England and hosts Australia both secured easy wins over Sri Lanka, whose woeful defence leaked 181 points and whose toothless attack did not succeed in crossing the whitewash.
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Pool A
N. Zealand 3 3 0 0 117 17 9
Wales 3 2 0 1 83 42 7
Kenya 3 1 0 2 78 38 5
Namibia 3 0 0 3 19 112 3
Pool B
Fiji 3 3 0 0 127 21 9
Canada 3 2 0 1 48 45 7
Scotland 3 1 0 2 47 48 5
Niue 3 0 0 3 12 120 3
Pool C
England 3 3 0 0 110 17 9
Australia 3 2 0 1 113 33 7
Cook Isle 3 1 0 2 71 63 5
Sri Lanka 3 0 0 3 0 181 3
Pool D
S. Africa 3 2 0 1 94 43 7
Samoa 3 2 0 1 66 22 7
Tonga 3 1 0 2 40 43 5
Uganda 3 1 0 2 41 108 5
Additional reporting by Agencies