Americas teams struggle in Dubai

Things couldn’t have gone much worse for the three men’s teams in the first round of the 2017-18 HSBC Sevens Series. Argentina, Canada, and the USA each came away with losing records. Not only did the trio fail to make the Cup Quarter Finals, all three lost their second match on Day Two to earn early showers.

Canada struggled to get going on Day One, losing convincingly to Kenya and having difficulty with Uganda. South Africa remains a class apart and there is work to be done to make up the gap. They defeated the USA in their first match of Day Two, but then fell to France in Trophy Semi Final.

Argentina started reasonably well, beating the USA cleanly and pushing New Zealand to the edge, losing by a conversion. They faded against Samoa in their final pool match to drop into the Trophy draw. A solid win over Uganda got their Day Two off to a good start but then they slipped up against Spain, losing as they did to New Zealand by one conversion.

By far the biggest disappointment of the tournament was the USA. With coach Mike Friday targeting an improvement on their 5th place overall finish last season, the Eagles instead flopped, dropping all five of their matches with only the match against Canada within one score. They suffered a hammer blow with World Rugby Player of the Year Perry Baker knocked out in a tackle in their first match and never recovered. It will be a long week of training in the USA camp.

In the end it was South Africa who proved they remain the team to beat. Fiji proved their most difficult adversary but they cruised past the rest of the field with ease, defeating New Zealand four tries to two in the Cup Final.

After one round they look hot favorites to retain their HSBC Sevens Series crown that they won in dominant fashion last season. The Blitzbokke will enjoy home field advantage when the Series move on to Cape Town next weekend.

 

DAY ONE RESULTS

POOL A
Canada 15 – 29 Kenya
South Africa 19 – 10 Uganda
Canada 22 – 17 Uganda
South Africa 48 – 5 Kenya
Kenya 29 – 14 Uganda
South Africa 28 – 0 Canada

POOL B
Scotland 24 – 14 France
England 28 – 0 Spain
Scotland 26 – 21 Spain
England 14 – 12 France
France 12 – 14 Spain
England 29 – 0 Scotland

POOL C
Australia 38 – 7 Wales
Fiji 50 – 7 Russia
Australia 47 – 0 Russia
Fiji 21 – 7 Wales
Wales 29 – 5 Russia
Fiji 26 – 19 Australia

POOL D
USA 14 – 22 Argentina
New Zealand 24 – 12 Samoa
USA 14 – 26 Samoa
New Zealand 21 – 19 Argentina
Argentina 12 – 22 Samoa
New Zealand 22 – 12 USA

 

DAY TWO RESULTS

TROPHY QUARTER FINALS
Canada 10 – 5 USA
Wales 17 – 24 France
Argentina 26 – 7 Uganda
Spain 31 – 0 Russia

CUP QUARTER FINALS
South Africa 26 – 10 Samoa
Fiji 35 – 24 Scotland
New Zealand 14 – 12 Kenya
England 26 – 19 Australia

13th PLACE SEMI FINALS
USA 21 – 31 Wales
Uganda 17 – 12 Russia

TROPHY SEMI FINALS
Canada 21 – 28 France
Argentina 12 – 14 Spain

5th PLACE SEMI FINALS
Samoa 27 – 22 Scotland
Kenya 12 – 19 Australia

CUP SEMI FINALS
South Africa 12 – 7 Fiji
New Zealand 14 – 5 England

13th PLACE FINAL
Wales 26 – 7 Uganda

TROPHY FINAL
France 21 – 12 Spain

5th PLACE FINAL
Samoa 17 – 22 Australia

BRONZE FINAL
Fiji 21 – 28 England

CUP FINAL
South Africa 24 – 12 New Zealand