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All Blacks Sevens leave it late as they start Hong Kong Sevens with win
New Zealand needed a hero in their opening match at the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens and it was youngster Tepaea Cook-Savage who stood up when it counted as the defending Series champions recorded a tense 12-7 win.
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Great Britain, who were the runners-up at the most recent SVNS Series leg in Los Angeles, shot out of the blocks with Ross McCann crossing for the opening score after only a couple of minutes.
The All Blacks Sevens had their backs up against the ropes but refused to throw in the towel as they engaged in a thrilling battle in front of a growing crowd at Hong Kong Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Neither team changed the score until midway through the second period with New Zealand’s Brady Rush scoring his team’s opening points. Tepaea Cook-Savage stepped up and converted Rush’s effort to level the score.
It was a tense period that followed. Both teams looked to break the game open but eventually, it all came down to a moment of brilliance from Cook-Savage who got on the scoresheet for the second time.
Weaving so much even the camera struggled to keep up! 🙌
Tapaea Cook Savage securing the win in style! 🇳🇿#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSHGK | @nz_sevens pic.twitter.com/8x2rFVx853
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 5, 2024
With a swarm of Great Britain players around him, Cook-Savage stepped and swerved his way through and around about four defenders during an impressive long-range run to the house. The try was unconverted but it didn’t matter in the end.
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“We’ve been targeting that first game pretty much the whole season really,” Cook-Savage told RugbyPass. “We started slow last few tourneys so to get the win in the first game, hopefully build some momentum.
“It was a grind, aye. It was a grind. GB are a good team, they hold onto the ball for long periods, but we’ve just got to stay in the grind really.”
After taking out the overall Series title last season, the team’s lack of consistency in 2023/24 means they’re closer to the bottom four on the ladder than the top.
The All Blacks Sevens claimed bronze in Dubai and silver in Vancouver, but the Kiwis have also failed to qualify for the Cup quarter-finals twice in five events to date.
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Without the likes of Leroy Carter, Akuila Rokolisoa and Tim Mikkelson this weekend, the New Zealanders are focused on an improved performance at the spiritual home of rugby sevens this weekend.
“We’re just trying to put everything into Hong Kong. That’s our goal,” Cook-Savage added. “I think every team’s goal is that. It comes down to who wants it the most so we’ll see.
“We’re missing a few key players but the young fellas and myself, (coach Tomasi Cama) has been giving us a lot of game time so he backs us and gives us the confidence to just play our game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The problem is the officiating & changing rulings,& TMOs.Last weekend I saw a 9 penalized for a crooked scrum feed! the last time I saw that rule applied was In about 1975!!!!!!!!.Late or not the incident is history & Australians alleging that Kiwi rugby supporters wear eye patches is a bit rich.Try listening to Australian Commentators.Every new player who has an above average game is suddenly the next great sensation.
19 Go to commentsEvery Irish fan in the stadium celebrated like they had won the tournament after the SA and Scotland games so yeah, the way Etzebeth tells it stacks up. It was definitely ‘In Their Heads’!
61 Go to commentsEtsebeth is right about 1 thing. Boks after winning a RWC have been crap. Only in 2009 did they reach the heights of what a RWC Champion should look like but that was only after 3rd/last in the TriN 2008. Lost a home series in 1996 (vs ABs); didnt win even 1 x Rugby Championship after 2019. ABs and Wallabies and England at least played like Champions after winning RWC.
61 Go to commentsCrusaders will knock one of the top seeds out in the first round, hope it’s not my Chiefs
27 Go to commentsEben really seems like just a deeply unpleasant man.
61 Go to commentsDMac. BB crabs too much at 10.
2 Go to commentsIt is every boys dream to be a Springbok. I managed it in a discipline other than rugby…But rugby, I have always engaged with passion. It does my old heart good to see the mix of people in the team and this displays the possibilities for this wonderful country. The logo “stronger together” says it all. This current edition of the Boks is nothing short of inspirational.
3 Go to commentsIrish people about the best damn people on the planet. OK, in the NH. Fijians are the World’s best happiest friendliest people. But as far as European cultures producing good people, Ireland stands alone. But on the rugby pitch there is a creeping arrogance that has detached from humility. eg Sexton abusing a match referee, and not for the 1st time. He was extremely lucky to make it to the RWC, strings were pulled. And O’Mahoneys sledge to Cane was lowballing, attacking an opposition Captain seems opportunistic and gutter talk. Cane is a real gentleman. Have never seen ABs unleash after the whistle like they did on O’Mahoney after QterF, it was well deserved. Unlike Bok supporters, the Bok players understand history. Massive amount of respect between Boks and ABs is evident, they get on well and have throughout history. Even Pinetree Meads best mate (except his old cobber Kel Tremain) were Springboks, friendships forged after tours. And Meads was always targetted given his star status (he even played 2 x Tests with a broken arm). On the contrary, ABs and Wallabies famously dont get on, bad blood after Aussies not taking offer of beersies postmatch.
61 Go to commentsHaha god NZ journalism is so crap listen to this guy “We’ll be proven in a few weeks if our baseless bs can stick” lol Everywhere else uses experts to write stuff but here they’re just career guys that don’t care about what they write, NOT CONCEDED A TRY IN YEARS lol > “Naturally, you’re looking for performance, sometimes that means you can’t think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision. Pretty much sums it up to a tee Paul ignores the articles in here about then runs off each team this year, that Penney is just a yearly stop gap until, who, Ellison is released by ABs, the huge imbalance of the injury front between teams at each end of the table, or who it was that _should_ have been coach. But of course if they actually do evidence and investigative work theyre shy of their article not hitting that sensationalism boundary and lose revenue. Leaving us non the wiser. They look like they would have been best with a geeup coach this year to turn around the razorless depression the clubs obviously going through. Hard to think of someone fitting the Bill to have been chosen instead, the clown Cheika? Id have been tempted to double play and entice O’Gara down. Hell maybe that is who they are waiting for, he wants a international gig and it could be after Scmidt or razor
27 Go to comments_Dan Carter weighs in on who should be Scott Robertson's All Black 10_ Dan: “It’s a toss up between Beudy and Dmac, although Mounga would be nice - but he can’t… so…” The Rugby Public: “Thanks Dan. For nuthin!”
2 Go to commentsEngland did this way back for the Croke Park match in the 2000’s. The shame actually seemed to weigh on them during the match. It will not be easy for Northhampton players to rationalize how their army went into a stadium of a major city of the then United Kingdom and opened fire indiscriminantly into terraces killed 14 and wounding scores. I am sure with a pro setup they will get this balance right. I live beside the stadium. A very old woman on the street remembers as a very young girl the crowds of people filling the street to escape the massacre. A lot of water under the bridge and the match has really little historical relevance for Irish/Leinster supporters any more. Those ghosts were freed in the trashing of England in the 2000’s match. Sure, it will motivate Leinster but Northhampton should not overly consider it or weigh on it in my opinion. Dowson is right to learn the historical importance and Northhampton are indeed giving the occasion due respect. It is important to show respect. But that’s enough for Northhampton. Fair play to them. On to the rugby now.
16 Go to commentsDouble World Cup Champions ? Wow since when did 4 become 2!
214 Go to comments“See you in the final” from a winning (Irish) team is just away of wishing a team well for the rest of the tournament. It’s actually saying I hope we both make it to the final. Etzebeth was the only player who PUBLICLY said that his team would make the final after that match. Does anyone honestly think Ireland who took 100 years to beat NZ and got hammerred by them in 2019 would for the slightest moment not take the perilous threat as seriously as it should be taken? Getting sick of Boks and Kiwis who spend all year every year trying boasting about how great and humble they are and then accusing others of arrogance. Respect people by trying to understand them before hitting a pretty humble people with this crap.
61 Go to commentsThe feelings of gratitude I feel when thinking about the Boks is difficult to describe. It really means a lot to people here. I would flat out ask Ox for a big hug if I met him in person. And then probably pass out after the squeeze. Totally worth it.
3 Go to commentsFarrell seems to be an outstanding coach and Ireland a very well prepared team. But they looked like they had no plan B against NZ. Maybe they really were looking past them, as Eben says.
61 Go to commentsMaybe if you come once in your life in France you won’t writte so much nonsense 🙃
1 Go to commentsWhy did they kill 14 people at a gaelic football match? What had happened earlier that day? Dowson sounds absolutely pathetic, believing what the Irish say about his people, rather than believing what his people say about the Irish.
16 Go to commentsI haven't really experienced the Irish as arrogant but I guess the players maybe got ahead of themselves after a big win. Just thought it being Ireland and their love afair with WC QF exits and it being the ABs maybe they would have taken it a bit more seriously. Maybe they did and just lost anyways, who knows.
61 Go to commentsNot surprising, they tend to get very carried away with themselves very quickly. I’ve never seen a team so devastated at the final whistle than those irish players in that QF, you’d think they had lost the final.
61 Go to commentsJust a roundabout way of claiming to great fun. Self -praise is no praise, frenchie.
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