My buddy Tom and I made it in the Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, so we missed the Friday Matches, but we got a good start on Saturday to get over to catch the action. In the earlier round games, the Fijiians were flying high and looking unstoppable.
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| Fiji was head and shoulders above everybody in Las Vegas. |
Canada and New Zealand both looked like they might have something to say as well, but the host country Americans played some really good rugby to draw 19-19 with South Africa, combined with two earlier wins, it set up a quarterfinal on Saturday night against the Auld Enemy from the North.
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| The Blitzbokke eating Fijian Dust... |
Canada has kind of owned the USA in Sevens the last couple of years, so imagine the surprise when the US took advantage of two early scores against the Canucks, but they did not let their foot off the gas pedal in a 20-0 win, which set up the Sunday semifinals of Fiji-South Africa and New Zealand against the surprising Yanks. Fiji dominate South Africa and New Zealand came back from a 5-0 deficit to storm past the USA, 26-12. South Africa played with a great deal of intensity and purpose to teach the Americans a lesson 31-0.
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| South Africa scores against the USA. |
This meant that Fiji and New Zealand, two rugby rich countries in the sevens game, yet had never won the USA leg of the Sevens Series, would face off in the final. Fiji showed the power, pace and crowd pleasing panache in taking a large lead over the Kiwis. New Zealand
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| New Zealand Scores against the USA in the Semifinals. |
would score a couple of late tries to make the score, 35-19-but this game was never in doubt to the fans of Fiji, who showed in very large and vocal number to wave the flag for their winning side.
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| Fiji fans rejoice! |
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