Fiji and Ireland start sevens world series finale with last-gasp wins in Madrid
MADRID (AP) — Fiji and Ireland pulled off last-gasp comeback wins against New Zealand and South Africa to begin the grand final of the rugby sevens world series in Madrid on Friday.
France rested Antoine Dupont and didn’t need him as it thumped Australia by a record 38-5, while series leader Argentina rolled Britain 31-5 in the other men’s pool.
The season-long women’s race between New Zealand and Australia didn’t look like being interrupted. New Zealand crushed Britain 49-14 with a hat trick of tries from the women’s series all-time leading try-scorer Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and Australia thumped Ireland 33-14 with braces from sisters Teagan and Maddison Levi.
Two-time Olympic champion Fiji has gone a remarkable 21 tournaments without a win in the series but enjoyed a statement 28-26 win over New Zealand, which has won the last two legs in Hong Kong and Singapore.
New Zealand led 19-7 by halftime after Moses Leo and Sam Dickson set up each other for tries and Tepaea Cook-Savage stepped two defenders to score. Just when New Zealand was threatening again in the second half, Fiji’s Terio Tamani intercepted and scored from 85 meters out.
That brought on Jerry Tuwai, Fiji’s only two-time Olympic gold medallist, finally fit to play his first tournament in a year.
Jeremaia Matana’s catch of the restart sent captain Ponepati Loganimasi to the tryline, and Waisea Nacuqu’s conversion put Fiji in front 21-19.
New Zealand went back ahead 26-21 with a team try finished by Joe Webber.
But Loganimasi tied the score with 20 seconds to go and replacement Iowane Teba, who had been on the field for only seconds, landed the conversion from the left touchline to win another thriller between the series’ most successful teams.
Hugo Keenan from Ireland’s champion Six Nations side appeared for the sevens team for the first time since 2019. He had a part in their 26-21 win from 21-7 down.
Terry Kennedy’s men’s series-leading 32nd try tied Ireland with South Africa early, but South Africa led by 14 in the second half after soft scores by Tristan Leyds and Quewin Nortje.
Ireland rallied from there. Zac Ward busted three tackles in his own 22 and romped to the other end, then Gavin Mullin slipped through with just over a minute to go for them to trail by two points. After nearly three minutes of added time, consecutive offloads by Ward and Harry McNulty sent Mullin clear for the winning try, and Ireland beat South Africa for the fourth time in five matches.
Dupont, fresh off a man-of-the-match effort in Toulouse’s European Cup final triumph last weekend, sat in the stands while France ripped apart Australia. France led 38-0 with four of their six tries starting in their own half.
Argentina, after finishing off the podium in the last three legs, looked focused against Britain. Within three minutes, Joaquin Pelladini crossed twice.
The winner-take-all finals are on Sunday.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby