USA through to Cup Semi-finals in Vegas

Hosts USA rebounded from a crushing defeat to South Africa in their final pool match earn a spot in the Cup semi final on Day 2 of the HSBC Sevens Series event at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday. The 29-0 beating handed out by the Blitzbokke could well have knocked them out of contention were it not for Canada’s disappointing loss to Wales in the previous match. As it was the Eagles limped into the Cup finals by the skin of their teeth.

Kenya produced the shock of the tournament as they blanked New Zealand 22-0 in the second match of the day, followed up soon after by Japan’s thrilling 26-19 last second upset win over Scotland. Meanwhile England’s nightmare continued as they were thumped by Australia to end the pool stages winless and then banished to the Shield draw after losing to France in the Bowl semi final.

The results set up a pulsating contest between Kenya and the USA that saw the Americans find the gear that had eluded them earlier to come through by a score of 26-14. Success comes at a cost, however, and both Maka Unufe and Will Holder are injured and out of the tournament, but in better news the outstanding Danny Barrett will be fit to play on day three after taking a knock to the shoulder.

Argentina’s day two was difficult. Despite playing reasonably well they came up just short against a resurgent Fiji team and then met the tournament’s form team in Australia, losing 26-12 in a difficult Cup quarter final. Canada also struggled, following up the Wales result with a disheartening loss to Russia.

The Eagles will now have to get through Fiji to make the final, where one of South Africa or Australia will await. Argentina take on New Zealand in the Plate semi final, and Canada square off against England in the Shield semi.

POOL STAGES

POOL A
New Zealand 42 – 7 Portugal
Kenya 24 – 21 Russia
New Zealand 38 – 0 Russia
Kenya 38 – 0 Portugal
Portugal 0 – 31 Russia
New Zealand 0 – 22 Kenya

POOL B
Australia 26 – 0 Scotland
England 19 – 19 Japan
Australia 35 – 5 Japan
England 14 – 24 Scotland
Scotland 19 – 26 Japan
Australia 36 – 7 England

POOL C
Fiji 24 – 28 Samoa
Argentina 26 – 7 France
Fiji 42 – 12 France
Argentina 25 – 12 Samoa
Samoa 17 – 31 France
Fiji 15 – 12 Argentina

POOL D
South Africa 33 – 7 Canada
USA 19 – 12 Wales
USA 26 – 26 Canada
South Africa 36 – 7 Wales
Canada 10 – 17 Wales
South Africa 29 – 0 USA

FINALS

BOWL QUARTER FINALS
Scotland 17 – 12 Samoa
France 21 – 19 England
Wales 31 – 12 Portugal
Russia 19 – 10 Canada

CUP QUARTER FINALS
Kenya 14 – 26 USA
Fiji 43 – 7 Japan
South Africa 14 – 7 New Zealand
Australia 26 – 12 Argentina

DAY 3 FIXTURES

Sun, Mar 6 – 10:30 PST, 13:30 EST – SHIELD SF – Canada vs England
Sun, Mar 6 – 10:52 PST, 13:52 EST – SHIELD SF – Portugal vs Samoa

Sun, Mar 6 – 11:14 PST, 14:14 EST – BOWL SF – Russia vs France
Sun, Mar 6 – 11:36 PST, 14:36 EST – BOWL SF – Wales vs Scotland

Sun, Mar 6 – 11:58 PST, 14:58 EST – PLATE SF – Kenya vs Japan
Sun, Mar 6 – 12:20 PST, 15:20 EST – PLATE SF – New Zealand vs Argentina

Sun, Mar 6 – 12:50 PST, 15:50 EST – CUP SF – USA vs Fiji
Sun, Mar 6 – 13:12 PST, 16:12 EST – CUP SF – South Africa vs Australia

Sun, Mar 6 – 14:13 PST, 17:13 EST – SHIELD FINAL
Sun, Mar 6 – 14:38 PST, 17:38 EST – BOWL FINAL
Sun, Mar 6 – 15:03 PST, 18:03 EST – PLATE FINAL
Sun, Mar 6 – 15:28 PST, 18:28 EST – BRONZE FINAL
Sun, Mar 6 – 15:57 PST, 18:57 EST – CUP FINAL