Wellington beat world club champions, lose to Australian national squad on day two

The Wellington Sevens team bowed out at the semi-final stage of the Central Coast 7s tournament on finals day today, after causing one of the shocks of the day by beating powerful Fijian side, tournament defending champions and World Club Sevens champions Daveta in their quarterfinal match-up.

Wellington went into the second day’s play as second placed qualifiers from their pool and were up against pool winners Daveta who had cruised to victory in all three of their matches on Saturday.

But they prevailed 12-7, with Roy Kinikinilau scoring the winning try in the corner with the last play of the game.

This put them into a semi-final match-up with the Australian Thunderbolts – the shadow Australian World Sevens circuit men’s team – and they went down 33-7 after scoring the game’s opening try.

The New Zealand Development men’s side was left carrying the flag for the New Zealand sides, after they had beaten Bay of Plenty club team and 2014 NZ National club champions Rangataua 24-15 in their quarterfinal.

In the semi-final immediately after Wellington’s, the New Zealand Development team encountered Fijian team Tamadamu – the team that had beaten Wellington in their final pool match on Saturday and who had beaten the Hong Kong national team 21-12 in their earlier quarterfinal.

In a flat finish for the New Zealand development side, they led just 5-0 until late in the second half when they gifted possession away from a lineout and Tamadamu scored an 80-metre converted try to win 7-5.

Afterwards New Zealand coach Sir Gordon Tietjens told tournament’s social media feed that: "It wasn’t all about the outcome. It’s about bringing the players through and competing at a level that you need to, to be the best you can be and giving players opportunities. Because the competition here is very, very good and very competitive and playing Fijian teams and Fijian representatives in the World Series."

The Australian Thunderbolts won the final, beating Tamadamu 31-21.

The New Zealand Women’s Development team went one better than their men’s counterparts, reaching the final of the Women’s Kinesio Cup competition. They met the Australian Pearls national team in the final, missing out 31-14 after trailing 24-0 at halftime. The New Zealand team had beaten the Australian Development side in their semi-final after defeating the New Zealand Wasps side 29-5 in their quarterfinal.

Wellington’s Day Two matches:

Cup Quarterfinal: Wellington v Daveta

Wellington 12 (Max Pearson, Roy Kinikinilau tries; Sheridan Rangihuna con) beat Daveta 7.HT: 0-7.

In a replay of last year’s final, Wellington won a pulsating quarterfinal over the defending champions by scoring a try in the corner to Roy Kinikinilau on fulltime.

With the clock winding down, Daveta had knocked the ball on cold on their 22 on the far side of the field. Wellington set down a scrum, halfback Sheridan Rangihuna ripped a pass out to Afa Fa’atau in centre field who held up his defender and popped a pass to the flying Kinikinilau who sprinted 20 metres.

Kinikinilau had helped set up Wellington’s first try earlier in the second half that got them to 7-7, sucking in three defenders and providing space at the next play for Max Pearson to put in a big fend and a step and waltz in from close range to score under the uprights.

Wellington had made much of the running in the first half, against an ill-disciplined Daveta outfit that gave up four penalties in the first four minutes and had a player sent to the sin-bin.

But Wellington couldn’t break through to score, Telea Seumanutafa, Lise Soloa, Hayden Schrijvers and Kinikinilau all going close.

Instead, Daveta broke away from a penalty and quick tap and constructed a 90-metre try that was converted on the halftime hooter.

Cup Semi-final: Wellington v Australian Thunderbolts

Australian Thunderbolts 33 beat Wellington 7 (Lise Soloa try; Sheridan Rangihuna conversion). HT: 19-7.

After conceding the opening try to Wellington, the Australian Thunderbolts over-ran Wellington with a burst of scoring to take the semi-final and book their place in the final.

The Australian side had beat Fijian team Yamacia 12-7 in their quarterfinal.

Wellington started the semi-final off in positive vein, retaining possession from a breakdown penalty and a subsequent attacking lineout. Telea Seumanutafa soared high and won clean ball, Wellington went wide and swung the ball back the same way they’d come. Halfback Sheridan Rangihuna rifled a 20 metre pass across to the waiting Soloa who barged through to score. Rangihuna’s conversion put them ahead 7-0.

But the Australian side struck back with a pair of tries to take a 14-7 lead. They then scored a third try before halftime. They added three more tries after halftime to win well.

Wellington now returns home, with many of the players expected to take part in the two WRFU club tournaments over the next two weekends.

The Central Region National Provincial qualifying tournament is in Levin in early December, with several ITM Cup players expected to be back in the frame for the Wellington squad for that event.