The IRB Rugby World Cup 7’s were played over the course of the last three days at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow. Both New Zealand’s men and women’s teams were spectacular over the three days as they breezed through every game on their way to the finals.
Men’s Championship
The All Blacks brushed by Canada, Georgia and USA on day one and two in their pool games to qualify for the Cup quarter-final against the defending champions Wales. The Kiwis went on to topple Fiji in the semifinals with a score of 17-00 in a game with an elongated break in-between due to lightning. England had a relatively harder draw in comparison to the Kiwis having played Hong Kong, Portugal and Argentina in their pool games. The English managed to go through the pool stages unbeaten to play Australia in the quarter-finals where they beat the Aussies 21-17. The Brits then faced a fiery Kenyan squad that narrowly missed out 12-05.
The New Zealand men went up against England in the finals where they were absolutely dominant outscoring the English 33 points to nil running in 5 tries and 4 conversions. Tim Mikkleson crossed the line twice whilst Tomasi Cama, Gillies Kaka and Waisake Naholo scored a try a piece.
Hosts Russia took the bowl championship beating Japan 29 points to 5. The much improved Canadians took the plate with an unexpected 19-12 win over Samoa. In the 3rd place play off Fiji rumbled over Kenya 29-05.
Canada’s Nathan Hirayama scored the most points over the three days whilst Fiji’s Metuisela Talebula ran in seven tries to top the list.
Women’s Championship
In the Women’s segment New Zealand over ran Tunisia, Netherlands and Canada in the pool stages conceding just one try. In their quarter-final encounter the Kiwi ladies took on England winning 24-07 to move on to a semi-final against USA. The Americans put up a stellar battle falling short by just 9 points, final score 19-10 in favor of New Zealand. The Canadian ladies came in a close second in Pool ‘A’ beating Tunisia and the Dutch whilst losing to the Kiwis. In their quarter-final the Canadians barely beat the hosts Russia with an extremely close 15-12. Canada then faced Spain in the semi-final and managed to go through with a 10 nil win.
New Zealand went into the final as clear favorites having already beaten their opponents on day one. It turns out no one told the Canadians they were the underdogs and they fought tooth and nail losing out 29-12.
Portia Woodman of New Zealand finished the tournament as both the top try and point’s scorer running in 12 tries and 60 points. Ghislaine Landry’s 7 tries and one conversion saw her take the second spot in both the try and points scorers list.
