New Zealand, Fiji, South Africa and Samoa have all booked places in the Cup semi-finals on the second of three match days at the USA Sevens in Las Vegas, round 5 of the Sevens World Series.
Kenya joined New Zealand, Fiji, South Africa as the pool winners after the remaining pool games on Saturday.
Tournament hosts USA defeated France to proceed into the Bowl semi-finals on day three, where they face Australia.
Semi-finals:
New Zealand v South Africa
Samoa v Fiji
Cup quarter-finals
New Zealand 12-7 England
South Africa 24-5 Argentina
Kenya 14-19 Samoa
Fiji 12-5 Wales
Defending Series champions New Zealand became the first side to book their place in the semis with a 12-7 victory against England. They came from behind for the second successive week against Ben Ryan's side, Tomasi Cama scoring the eventual winning try in the victory.
Frank Halai had given Gordon Tietjens' side a 5-0 lead before Dan Norton's try made it 7-5, but Cama's effort put more distance between New Zealand and England in the Series.
The current Series leaders now face the defending USA Sevens champions South Africa after captain Kyle Brown's 50th World Series try helped Paul Treu's side to a 24-5 victory over Argentina in the second quarter final.
Two of the crowd's favourites met in the third quarter final as an Alafoti Fa'osiliva hat-trick helped the 2009/10 Series champions Samoa in their 19-14 victory against a much improved Kenya.
Fiji, who are currently second behind New Zealand in the overall Series standings, set up an enthralling semi final with their Pacific rivals after coming from 5-0 behind to beat Wales 12-5 thanks to two tries from Setefano Cakau.
Plate
England will enter the Plate semi finals on day three of the USA Sevens after their defeat to New Zealand and will meet Argentina. Kenya will face Wales in the second Plate semi final.
Bowl quarter-finals
Canada 29-0 Uruguay
Scotland 14-15 Japan
France 5-21 United States
Australia 50-0 Brazil
Australia beat Brazil 50-0 in the opening Bowl quarter-final to book their place in the semis and will face USA.
Allan Fa'alava'au scored two of eight tries for Michael O'Connor's side in the victory before Zach Test, Folau Niua and Peter Tiberio tries gave Al Caravelli's side a first victory at their home tournament, coming from 5-0 behind to win 21-5.
Taylor Paris scored a hat-trick to book Canada's place in the final four of the Bowl competition after a 29-0 victory against Uruguay.
Sean Duke scored their first and Jeffery Hassler their fifth, meaning Geraint John's side will now play Japan on day three after two tries from Ryo Tsuruta and one from Kazushi Hano helped the Asian side record a dramatic 15-14 victory against Scotland.
Shield
Brazil will face Dubai Sevens runners-up France in the first Shield semi-final on day three. Scotland will play Uruguay.
Pool A - New Zealand, Samoa, Australia, Japan
Saturday's results:
New Zealand 12-5 Samoa
Australia 10-7 Japan
World Series leaders New Zealand maintained their 100 percent record and progressed to the Cup quarters as Pool A winners after a 12-5 victory against Samoa.
Having trailed 5-0 to a Paul Perez try, captain DJ Forbes and Tomasi Cama both crossed to set up a quarterfinal with England.
The nine-time Series champions have not won the US Sevens since 2008 in San Diego but began their campaign with a 31-5 victory against Australia before a 42-5 defeat of Japan.
Two Tomasi Cama tries in the second seven minutes ensured New Zealand defeated their trans-Tasman rivals with Mark Jackman also scoring twice in the match and Lote Raikabula adding the first for Gordon Tietjens' side.
In their match against Japan two Frank Halai tries, Johnathan Malo's first two tries on the World Series and 15 points from Jackman ensured victory.
Former World Series champions Samoa also recorded a win in their first match with a 33-0 defeat of Japan thanks to two tries from Afa Aiono before Aiono added his third of the tournament in a 19-15 victory against Australia in the final match of day one.
Australia finished third in Pool A with a narrow 10-7 victory against Japan thanks to two tries from captain Ed Jenkins.
Pool B- Fiji, Canada, Argentina, United States
Saturday's results:
Argentina 14-12 United States
Fiji 19-10 Canada
Fiji became the first side to top their pool after a 19-10 victory against Canada on day two adding to a 33-19 defeat of the hosts and a 14-12 victory against Argentina on the opening day of the US Sevens.
Eighteen points from Metuisela Talebula assisted the Fijians in their win against Al Caravelli's side, whilst they came from 12-0 behind to eventually beat two-time US Sevens champions Argentina 14-12 in an enthralling opening match thanks to tries from Nemani Nagusa and Waisea Nayacalevu.
Taylor Paris' late try snatched a 17-12 victory for Canada against rivals and hosts US in the second match of day one. Last week's Cup quarterfinalists came from behind twice to secure victory but were unable to beat Argentina in their second match, conceding two tries to Francisco Merello in a 19-12 defeat.
Los Pumas ended the pool action with a 14-12 defeat of the hosts US, with the South American side joining Fiji in the Cup quarters as a result of their win.
Pool C - France, South Africa, Wales, Uruguay
Saturday's results:
France 5-33 South Africa
Wales 28-7 Uruguay
South Africa beat France 33-5 to book their place in the Cup quarters as Pool C winners where they will play Argentina.
On day one Cecil Afrika scored a hat-trick to take his tournament try tally to five in South Africa's 29-12 victory against reigning Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Wales.
Afrika earlier scored his first two tries of the tournament as he helped Paul Treu's side to a 33-0 victory against Uruguay. The defending US Sevens champions scored three other tries through Cornal Hendricks, Frankie Horne and Bernado Botha, scoring his 30th World Series try.
An Alex Walker conversion proved the difference for Wales in their 14-12 victory against Dubai Sevens runners-up France. Trailing 12-7 after tries from Paul Albaladejo and Julien Jane, Lee Williams raced away to cross the line before Walker converted to take the win.
A second half try from Harry Robinson and two from Kristian Phillips ensured Paul John's side beat Uruguay 28-7 in their third pool match.
Uruguay narrowly missed out on an upset against France on the opening day, eventually losing 21-19. Two Felipe Berchesi tries and one from Guillermo Lijtenstein gave them a 19-14 lead but Terry Bouhraoua's try and Thibaut Zambelli's conversion snatched a late victory for France.
Pool D - Kenya, England, Scotland, Brazil
Saturday's results:
Kenya 7-7 England
Scotland 33-5 Brazil
Kenya enter the Cup quarters as pool winners after a 7-7 draw with England in the final Pool D match. Tom Mitchell had cancelled out Lavin Asego's try, but the draw was enough for the African side to finish top.
England booked their place in the Cup quarters with a dramatic 12-7 victory against the Auld Enemy Scotland. Having scored their first try Dan Norton was then sent off, but a Christian Lewis-Pratt try with seconds remaining ensured Ben Ryan's side maintained their 100 percent record on day one.
Currently third in the Series they opened up with a 29-5 victory against Brazil thanks to a Norton hat-trick. Brazil were making their first outing on the world stage since 2002 and are building towards the hosting of Sevens Rugby's first Olympic event, in Rio in 2016.
Collins Injera also scored a hat-trick against Brazil as Kenya recorded a 38-0 victory against Martin Schusterman's side adding to an earlier 17-14 victory against Scotland to also progress to set up a pool decider with England on day two.
Two Humphrey Kayange tries and Injera's first of the day helped the African side come from 7-0 down to beat Graham Shiel's side in the opening Pool D match of day one. The Kenyans, with brothers Kayange and Injera back in harness, are showing something near their best form and picking up where they left off in Wellington.
For the Scots, captain Colin Gregor is the only player on show to have started 26 matches - all of his team's games - this season and he scored in their 33-5 victory against Brazil. Both teams will play their Bowl quarterfinal matches later on day two.
Comments
hayj05 says...
The semi-finalists are the only 4 teams to win the world series.
Posted 12:59 12th February 2012