Dubai: Olympic, World Series and Dubai defending champions Fiji showed no ill-effects from coach Ben Ryan’s departure, getting off to a winning start in their first test without the Englishman at the Dubai Rugby Sevens on Friday.
The Pacific islanders beat Canada 26-19 in their opening game in Group A and followed it up with a 24-12 win over Wales, thanks to four tries — two in each game — from Jerry Tuwai.
Tuwai got two early tries for Fiji against Canada, before Kitione Taliga added a third.
Osea Kolinisau managed two out of his three conversions, but Canada fought back with a Phil Berna try and a Nathan Hirayama conversion, to make it 19-7 to Fiji at half-time.
Canada came out strong in the second half with tries from Hirayama and Adam Zaruba, the first of which was converted by Hirayama, who then missed the second to leave it finely poised at 19-18.
But Fiji found comfort towards the end from a late try and conversion courtesy of Waisea Nacuqa and Kolinisau, to put more of a margin between the scores.
In Fiji’s second game, Wales pulled ahead with tries from Owen Jenkins and Ethan Davies either side of a Tuwai try. The first of Wales’ tries was converted by Davies to make it 12-7 to the Welsh at the break.
However, Fiji came out charged after the interval with tries from Joeli Lutumailagi, Tuwai and Setareki Bituniyata, only the second of which was converted by Kolinisau, to hand Fiji their second win of the day.
Ben Ryan has won four of the last six Dubai Rugby Sevens — two with his former side England and two with Fiji — but the islanders will be hoping they can do it without their talismanic tactician this time around.
Ryan left after Fiji’s Olympic win and will be replaced by Hong Kong coach Gareth Baber in January, but in the meantime interim coach Naca Cawanibuka holds the reins.
Elsewhere on Friday, record 12-time World Series and six-time Dubai champions New Zealand also got off to a strong start in Group C, without their long-serving coach Sir Gordon Tietjens, beating Russia 26-5 and Samoa 26-21, courtesy of two tries each from Sione Molia, Scott Curry and Sherwin Stowers.
Tietjens also left after the Olympics and will be replaced by Clark Laidlaw in January. In the meantime Tomasi Cama and Scott Waldron will take charge, while Tietjens will join Samoa in January. Tietjens was in the stands for the game between his old and new sides but isn’t here on official duty.
Traditional superpower New Zealand will be looking to peg vogue-side Fiji back in tomorrow’s knockouts in this, their first opportunity to draw blood in the first round of the 10-stage 2016/17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Men’s group stage results — Friday
Kenya 14—24 France
Australia 19-14 Japan
USA 5-14 Scotland
South Africa 46-0 Uganda
Argentina 19-21 Wales
Fiji 26-19 Canada
England 19-7 Samoa
New Zealand 26-5 Russia
Kenya 17-7 Japan
Australia 28-0 France
USA 29-7 Uganda
South Africa 21-5 Scotland
Argentina 21-14 Canada
Fiji 24-12 Wales
England 38-7 Russia
New Zealand 26-21 Samoa
