4. Aussie Sevens keep ahead of Poms
There are two competitions going on in the World Rugby Sevens tournament.
One is to be the winner for the year, and that will be a tight contest amongst South Africa, Fiji, and New Zealand, who dropped to third place in Hong Kong.
The other is the serious contest between Australia and England for fourth position because that place-getter will have automatic qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics and the priceless fourth seeding spot.
Cameron Clark tackles Charles Hayter (England)
England and Australia in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Sevens was holding its 40th Anniversary and on Day 1 England beat Wales by 7, and Australia won comfortably against Portugal, (who drew with New Zealand on Day 2 and would have won had a conversion after the siren gone over).
On Day 2 England beat Kenya but could only draw with a fast-improving USA side. The Aussies beat Scotland but lost 14-5 to NZ. There were some might-have-been moments but they found it hard to get the ball.
But both England and Australia progressed to the quarter-finals anyway.
England were behind Fiji 14-12 and had 20 seconds to win but they had to regather their restart kick first. They did, but the Fiji defence held. Australia were 5-0 ahead of South Africa at half-time but the Blitzbokke strangled them for ball in the second half and won 7-5.
Both losers opposed each other in the Plate semi-final and there wasn’t a lot in it. Ed Jenkins was influential in the match and scored Australia’s two tries, the second laid on by Shannon Walker, who had some sensational cameos from the bench. England got a consolation try after the siren but the Aussies won 12-5.
The USA was terrific in the Plate Final and led Australia 12-7 at half time after they got an intercept try from a loopy pass. But five-pointers to Cameron Clark and Walker, doing his thing, made the score 21-12 to the Aussies with about two minutes to go, and change.
Then the USA got a try to make the score 21-17 and they restarted with 27 seconds remaining—and they got the ball back !! But fortunately it ended up in touch and Australia won the Plate.
Greg Jeloudev v. USA in Plate Final .
England earned 10 tournament points at Hong Kong to tally 78 for the season. Australia gained 13 by winning the Plate and ended with 84; so they now lead England by 6, instead of 3 as they did after Las Vegas.
Had England jagged the QF win against Fiji instead of losing by 2 points, they would be 4 ahead of the Aussies now in the standings, at least.
Had Australia won and not lost by 2 points to South Africa in their QF they would be 10 ahead of England in the standings, at least.
The margins between these teams, so close in ability, are so fine that every tournament will be dramatic for rugby supporters in the UK and Australia: they will follow the other team with scarcely less interest than following their own.
There are only three tournaments remaining and neither team can stumble.
