ENGLAND have fallen further from contention for the World Rugby Sevens Series with a sixth-place finish in Vancouver last weekend, as reigning champions South Africa rediscovered their mojo to claim the Canadian title.
England topped their pool with victories over Argentina, Scotland and Japan to progress to the Cup quarter-finals where they met the series leaders USA.
Tom Mitchell's side were looking to end their hoodoo against the Eagles and break a three-match losing streak – and looked in good shape after two tries from Will Muir and one from Tom Bowen before halftime earned a commanding lead at the break.
But the USA staged a stirring fightback through the triumvirate of Madison Hughes, Ben Pinkelman and Stephen Tomasin to run out 21-19 victors and leave England licking their wounds.
England then thrashed a resurgent Samoa 33-14 to put themselves into the fifth-place qualifier with a haul of 13 points, outscoring Sir Gordon Tietjens side by four tries to two. Speed demon Dan Norton put his side on the board after two minutes, followed by Phil Burgess, Richard de Carpentier and a second-half touch down for Charlton Kerr to set up a play-off with Tietjens' former side, New Zealand. New Zealand had been shocked in the pool stages by falling to their first-ever defeat to Spain, who scored with the last play of the match when Pol Pla finished off a tremendous break by Joan Losada to hand the underdogs a historic 26-24 win.
A Jona Nareki double helped New Zealand make amends against England, with Vilimoni Koroi and Ngarohi McGarvey Black also getting in on the act in a 26-19 victory to down Simon Amor's side.
A late consolation for Ryan Olowofela added to tries from Norton and Bowen as England had to settle for sixth at the BC Place Stadium.
Still awaiting a maiden Sevens Series championship trophy, England lie 33 points adrift of USA who lost to Fiji in the Bronze final, 24-14. Now past the half-way mark in the 2018-19 series, holders South Africa have been bucked by new trendsetters USA and a rejuvenated New Zealand. But their 21-12 defeat of France in the cup final will do wonders for their selfbelief says Blitzbokke head coach Neil Powell. “We knew that this team was up to the potential of getting into finals and winning finals,” Powell said. “It was a case of when they would gel not just on the field but off the field as well, and that happened this weekend.
“They started believing they can do well on the circuit and that they could do better as a team. They don't have to stand back for Fiji, New Zealand, or anyone.”
