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NZ, England storm into HK sevens quarterfinals
Source: Agencies |
March 29, 2009, Sunday
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DEFENDING champion New Zealand recovered to beat arch-rival Australia yesterday and title favorite England survived a late challenge from World Cup champion Wales to make the quarterfinals at the Hong Kong Sevens.
Australia scored first on a try by Domonic Shipperley in the second minute, but the New Zealanders replied with two tries by Zar Lawrence and another by Hurricanes star Victor Vito. Lawrence was playing after learning his 16-year-old younger brother Wiremu died in an auto accident on Friday night in Auckland. The New Zealand team wore black armbands in memory of the younger Lawrence.
"My thoughts are back there (New Zealand), but my family told me to stay here and do it for him, so that's what I'm doing. I've got to play my best tomorrow for my brother," Lawrence told reporters after the win.
The Kiwis crushed Zimbabwe 52-0 earlier in the day.
Australia still qualified for the quarterfinals as the second-best second-place team in round-robin play. The Wallabies, who beat Sri Lanka 56-12 earlier, will next play South Africa. The Springboks, co-leaders with England in the IRB Sevens series, crushed Uruguay 53-0, then France 26-12 to qualify.
New Zealand will next play Kenya, the World Cup semifinalist, which beat Scotland 31-7 and the US 19-12.
England was up 26-0 at the half against Wales, with Ollie Phillips, Kevin Barrett, Chris Cracknell and Isoa Damu each scoring, but the Welsh responded with three tries and two conversions in the second half.
Australia scored first on a try by Domonic Shipperley in the second minute, but the New Zealanders replied with two tries by Zar Lawrence and another by Hurricanes star Victor Vito. Lawrence was playing after learning his 16-year-old younger brother Wiremu died in an auto accident on Friday night in Auckland. The New Zealand team wore black armbands in memory of the younger Lawrence.
"My thoughts are back there (New Zealand), but my family told me to stay here and do it for him, so that's what I'm doing. I've got to play my best tomorrow for my brother," Lawrence told reporters after the win.
The Kiwis crushed Zimbabwe 52-0 earlier in the day.
Australia still qualified for the quarterfinals as the second-best second-place team in round-robin play. The Wallabies, who beat Sri Lanka 56-12 earlier, will next play South Africa. The Springboks, co-leaders with England in the IRB Sevens series, crushed Uruguay 53-0, then France 26-12 to qualify.
New Zealand will next play Kenya, the World Cup semifinalist, which beat Scotland 31-7 and the US 19-12.
England was up 26-0 at the half against Wales, with Ollie Phillips, Kevin Barrett, Chris Cracknell and Isoa Damu each scoring, but the Welsh responded with three tries and two conversions in the second half.
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