Also from Rugbyheaven tonight......
To Victor the spoils as NZ prevails
By MARC HINTON - RugbyHeaven | Saturday, 02 February 2008
New Zealand sevens rugby – no, make that New Zealand rugby – has a new star as Wellington youngster Victor Vito produced a match-winning display remiscent of Jonah Lomu to lead his side to a third straight IRB tounament win in the Current season 2007-8
Vito scored two tries, including the match-winner in the final minute, as New Zealand won a thrilling final 22-17 over Samoa who gave the hot favourites the match of their lives before they finally prevailed to make it three wins from three in the new IRB series for 2007-08.
It was a fine team effort from the New Zealanders and Zar Lawrence, skipper DJ Forbes and Lote Raikabula all weighed in with influential displays, but there was no doubting who the star of the show was on a night when Westpac Stadium entered full celebration mode after a long weekend of partying.
Vito, the emerging Wellington flanker, had been picked as a possible game-breaker out wide, and he repaid Tietjens' selection in spades during this tournament. His performance in the final had Jonah Lomu written all over it, especially his first-half effort that left Samoans trailing in his wake.
"There's nothing better than this," said Tietjens afterwards. "To score off the last move of the game, that's what practice is all about."
Tietjens also didn't mind sending some special praise the way of Vito who was the difference on the night. "What an outstanding performance for such a young guy," he said.
Vito admitted the emotions of it all had been too much and that he had shed tears after what he had achieved became obvious. "It can't get any better," said the new star of sevens rugby. "Amazing, it just feels awesome right now. I was crying before."
Forbes said the final had been one of those "special moments" and in a tight final it had been "great to win it that way". He added: "We really had to dig deep to come away with the win."
The home side led 12-7 at the break, thanks to two quite special tries from standout individuals Vito and Lawrence.
Vito's score, which answered the early strike to Mikaele Pesamino for the Samoans, was right out of the Jonah Lomu book. He received the ball wide on the left and produced a huge fend, then a massive shoulder charge to bounce off two would-be tacklers and thunder across the line.
If that try had been sensational to get the New Zealanders back into the game, Lawrence's strike just before the break was almost as eye-catching.
The hard-working speedster, one of the consistent performers for the New Zealanders throughout this tournament, made the Samoans pay for kicking ball away when he took the ball on the cut and bounced off two defenders on a stunning run to the line.
But the Samoans just wouldn't go away, taking the lead with the first score of the second spell, extending it with a dropped goal and then looking for all the world as though they were going to take a thrilling final into extra time after Steven Yates' opportunistic late score had levelled the scores at 17-17.
That was when Victor nabbed victory. And sent a packed house of fancily dressed revellers off into the night in full-on parrty mode.
Earlier New Zealand recovered from a slow start to put the hurt on Australia in the first of two backyard battles in the semifinals. After a couple of major upsets had set up all-Pacific semifinals at the IRB's third tournament of the year, the home side opened the final four of the Cup competition by running in six tries to one in a 32-7 defeat over trans-Tasman neighbours Australia.
In the other semi Samoa held off a strong finish from tournament dark horses and Pacific neighbours Tonga, who had upset South Africa in the quarters. The Samoans had raced out to a 24-7 lead but hung on just 24-21 after the Tongans produced a withering comeback to set up a grandstand finish.
Samoa had earlier caused a boilover themselves after shrugging off an indifferent first-day effort to knock the highly fanncied Fijians out in the quarter-final stage with a knife-edge 19-17 victory.
Australia must have fancied their chances of adding to the list of upsets at this tournament when they trailed the New Zealanders just 7-10 at the break, unconverted tries to Yates and Edwin Cocker being answered on the shadow of the break by a converted touchdown for big Aussie Scott Higginbotham.
But it was all the New Zealanders in the second spell as Gordon Tietjens' men took control of this encounter. Aided by a sinbinning for Higginbotham for a spot of dissent, the home side ran in four more tries, with the in-form Lawrence grabbing a brace, tireless skipper Forbes adding another and Yates also securing his second.
It was an impressive second 40 by the Kiwis, taking total control of the ball and leaving the Australians chasing a game they had no hope of catching.
New Zealand had barely raised a sweat as they brushed past Wales 40-5 in the first of the quarter-finals.
As the upsets were taking place elsewhere, both Fiji and South Africa eliminated at the quarter-final stage, the New Zealanders remained smoothly on course for a third straight tournament victory in the new season.
Briefly – and only briefly – the Welsh must have had visions of an upset at the capital's Westpac Stadium when they burst out of the blocks to notch the first try of the match and take a surprise 5-0 lead.
The score went to Jonathan Edwards as referee Ian Smith caned the home side with three straight penalties that allowed the Welsh to sweep on to attack and eventually outflank the New Zealand defence out wide on the left.
But that was the end of it for the Welsh as the New Zealanders were stunned into action after conceding just their second try of the tournament.
The superb Vito – fast emerging as the new star of the Kiwi sevens side – got the New Zealanders back in front when a nice wide pass from Lote Raikabula put him into a one-on-one situation that was all the big fella needed, and Raikabula got in on the act soon after to take his side to a 14-5 lead at the break.
It was all the New Zealanders in the second spell as some stern words from Tietjens (mainly involving this being his men's party and not letting anyone rain on it) had his side quickly back into its A game.
Cocker was put away nicely by Vito for try No 3 and a 21-5 lead, Raikabula completed his brace soon after with a nice solo effort and soon after sub Tomasi Cama made it five straight converted tries and all she wrote. Big wing Yates finished a six-try extravaganza when he drove over from a ruck right on the final hooter.
It was an impressive display from the home side, with Lawrence showing his ability to break the line and the likes of Vito and Raikabula continuing to wreak havoc. Skipper Forbes also produced a typical high workrate display, while playmaker Nigel Hunt looked to be over his ankle problems with a sharp effort.
Australia had had few problems with Scotland, prevailing 31-7.
Tonga caused the first major upset of knockout day when they stunned South Africa in the third quarter-final 14-10 to win through to a semi matchup against Samoa who made it two boilovers in a row when they surprised Fiji 19-17.
The Samoans had cashed in on an early yellow card against the Fijians to race to a 19-0 halftime lead in the last of the day's Cup quarter-finals, and then had to hang on with all their might as their island cousins came storming back in the second spell.
The Samoans were hit with an early yellow card themselves in the second spell and the Fijians pounced to notch three tries to come storming back.
But the Fijians then stumbled right when it mattered most, missing a conversion in front that would have levelled the scores at 19-19 and then unable to make the most of a late penalty from a handy position.
Samoa had their share of anxious moments in the semi too, after looking to be cruising when two Mikaele Pesamino tries had them out by 17. But the Tongans hit back with two late tries and only some desperate Samoan defence prevented them from completing the comeback in the final minute.
Final: New Zealand 22: Victor Vito 2, Zar Lawrence, Steven Yates tries; Lote Raikabula con. Samoa 17: Mikaele Pesamino, Reupena Levasa try; Lolo Lui 2 cons, dg.
Semifinal: New Zealand 32: Steven Yates 2, Edwin Cocker, DJ Forbes, Zar Lawrence 2 tries; Tomasi Cama con. Australia 7: James Higginbothom try; Kasey Mitchell con.
Quarter-final: New Zealand 40: Victor Vito, Lote Raikabula 2, Edwin Cocker, Tomasi Cama, Steven Yates tries; Nigel Hunt 3 cons, Raikabula con, Cama con. Wales 5: Jonathan Edwards try.
Cup quarter-finals: New Zealand 40 Wales 5; Australia 31 Scotland 7; Tonga 14 South Africa 10; Samoa 19 Fiji 17. Semifinals: New Zealand 32 Australia 7; Samoa 24 Tonga 21. Final: NZ 22, Samoa 17.
Bowl quarter-finals: England 33 Canada 17; France 17 USA 12; Argentina 19 Kenya 7; Cook Islands 24 Papua New Guinea 17. Semifinals: England 14 France 5; Argentina 36 Cook Islands 5. Final: England 12 Argentina 7.
Shield semifinals: USA 19 Canada 7; Kenya 38 Papua New Guinea 7. Final: USA 22 Kenya 17.
Plate semifinals: Wales 24 Scotland 12; South Africa 26 Fiji 19. Final: Sth Africa 19 Wales 12.
An awsomely powerful dsplay from Tich's Men!
Cheers,
Baz
