Gold Coast, Australia: Fiji edged Samoa 31-24 in an all-Pacific final in the opening round of the rugby Sevens World Series on Sunday, taking first honours on the road to the Rio Olympics.
The top four teams in the nine-tournament IRB series automatically qualify for the 2016 Olympics, elevating the stakes on the Gold Coast.
England knocked heavyweight New Zealand out in the quarterfinals with a surprising 31-7 victory, but had no answer against a rampant Fiji in the semifinals, losing 48-7.
Samoa reached the final with a 28-12 win over South Africa, which knocked host Australia out of contention in the quarterfinals.
England beat South Africa 19-0 for third place, while the defending world series champion New Zealand squad rebounded to win the plate division with comprehensive wins over Wales and Argentina. Meanwhile, World Cup-winning centre Sonny Bill Williams is in discussions about playing for New Zealand at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, sevens coach Gordon Tietjens said on Sunday.
The code-switching, former New Zealand heavyweight boxing champion returned to rugby union again this week ahead of next year’s World Cup after a two-year spell in Australia’s National Rugby League competition with the Sydney Roosters.
While Williams came off the bench for Counties Manukau in their provincial 15-a-side clash on Sunday, New Zealand were winning the plate tournament at the Gold Coast sevens after losing to England in the quarter-finals of the main prize.
“I’ve spoken to his agent. He’s expressed a real interest that Sonny Bill is keen to look at the Olympics,” Tietjens said after the event in Australia.
“Sonny Bill Williams ticks all the boxes. He’s a great, great athlete. Got everything. Can he play sevens? I don’t know.” Despite a lack of game time, the powerful and skilful Williams is expected to join up with the All Blacks for their end of season tour to the United States and Britain before playing for the Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby next year ahead of the World Cup.
