• • Facebook
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Stumble Upon
  • Furl

Olex Taranaki Academy caused a major upset when they defeated Emerging New Zealand 31-26 in an all-New Zealand final at the Hyperion Gold Coast International Sevens this weekend.

The Taranaki youngsters, led by experienced Super 15 campaigner Scott Waldrom, proved too slick and too spirited for the Gordon Tietjens NZRU combination.

The Emerging team, with the experienced IRB Sevens campaigner Zar Lawrence and New Zealand Commonwealth Games gold medallist Toby Arnold in control, crossed for the first try to Bryce Heem, which Lawrence converted.

But it wasn’t long before Waisake Naholo opened Taranaki’s account which captain Cody Rei converted.

Taranaki, who never stopped attacking out wide, were quick to seize an opportunity close to the New Zealand line, when Waldrom drove hard to scramble under Lawrence to score under the posts before half-time. Rei converted to give Taranaki a 14-7 half-time lead.

Taranaki jumped back into gear soon after the break with Naholo crossing out wide and it co-incided with the departure of Lawrence, who left the field injured.

Robust forward Kane Barrett, the son of Taranaki legend Kevin and brother of fellow Academy star Beauden, charged over for try number four and the National team’s assault was all but done and dusted.

If it wasn’t then soon after it certainly was when snowy haired five-eighth Warwick Lahmert, who had played a hand in so many of the Taranaki movements, crossed for a well deserved five pointer.
Arnold scored two late tries for the Development side with Matt Hodson also chipping in to make the final score 31-26.

In what was a big weekend for the Kiwis, Samoan born former New Zealand Sevens star David Smith, who scored 12 tries for the International Samurai, was named Player of the Tournament.

Smith, 24, became the marquee signing for the Western Force on the eve of the tournament and raced in four of his dozen tries in the Samurai’s 40-0 win over the Warwick Bombers in the Plate final.

Michael O’Connor’s Aussie Thunderbolts were certainly in very good company after falling at the last hurdle to Taranaki who lowered the Australian colours on the bell in a heart breaking semi-final.

On the way through Taranaki also accounted for world champions Samoa Barbarians and defending champions South Sea Drifters who won the Bowl Final 29-17 over the Queensland Reds Academy team.

Samurai women grab title

A non-stop 20 minutes from captain Cheryl Soon and the pace of Kristy Giteau proved the difference in International Samurai’s 22-10 win over Brisbane’s Eastsyde in today’s women’s Cup final at the Hyperion Gold Coast International Rugby Sevens.

Soon, captain of Australia’s Wallaroos at the Women’s World Cup, ran herself to a standstill and Giteau showed all the speed and skill out wide to race in for two of Samurai’s four tries.

But the combined invitation team from Samurai had to work hard to overcome the rugged, determination of the defending champions.

Eastsyde were first to open the scoring through Cheyanne Campbell but it was Giteau who leveled the scores at half-time after a slick backline raid.

Rebecca Tavo made it 10-5 for the Samurai with a try just after half-time before Giteau showed all her speed out wide to cross from her second try of the match and her eighth for the tournament.

Samurai’s Nicole Beck put the game out of reach for Eastsyde with the team’s fourth try, with Tui Cope crossing for a consolation five-pointer on the bell for Eastsyde to make it a respectable score line.

Soon was quick to praise her team who only came together on Friday, when they gathered on the Gold Coast.

“Although some of the girls play together in the Wallaroos, we gelled together although the 10 minute halves were pretty tough,” said Soon.

“The level of the Gold Coast Sevens just keeps getting better every year.”