Australia ‘didn’t really play our game’ but Roache steps up in thriller

Australia are off to a winning start at the HSBC SVNS World Championship stop in Valladolid, with playmaker Dietrich Roache the hero in an extra-time thriller against Kenya. Roache flew down the left sideline to score the match-winning points, with the Aussies prevailing 15-10.

It’s been another scorching day in northwestern Spain, with temperatures sitting around the 30-degree Celsius mark. These Euro Summer conditions have actually reminded the Aussies of home, even though they’re more than 17,500 kilometres away.

The Aussies have made the long-haul trip to Europe, looking to retain core status next season by finishing in the top eight on the World Championship standings. But podium finishes remain the goal, with two titles still yet to be won in Valladolid and Bordeaux.

As fans have seen all season, the nature of the HSBC SVNS Series is fierce and unforgiving. Every moment of each match matters, as teams look to punch their ticket to the knockout rounds and beyond at any given stop.

Australia and Kenya were locked at 10-all going into extra time, with Roache delivering the match-winning moment in the 16^th minute. It was Roache’s second try of the enthralling Pool A clash and has the Aussies well-placed ahead of their other two group matches.

“Obviously very important, we know this comp’s very tight. We also know Kenya are a really good team so they’ve pretty much pushed us to the end there,” Roache told RugbyPass.

“We’re just happy to get the win but we know we didn’t really play our game. We’ve got an opportunity against GB to fix those wrongs.

“The body’s getting old but for a game like that, under that much pressure, I had to pull something out of the old bag.”

Three-time Olympian Henry Hutchinson opened the scoring with a second-minute effort, before Kenya hit back through Patrick Odongo Okong’o. But Roache split the teams just before the break, with the Aussies taking a 10-5 advantage into the half-time huddle.

Samuel Mosiori Asati touched down for what ended up being the only try of the second term, with the missed conversion attempt seeing the sit even on the scoreboard. Australia had plenty of ball in the dying stages but Kenya stood tall on defence when it mattered most.

It was more of the same as extra time got underway, with Australia dominating the possession and territory battles. But Roache’s showcased blistering pace to cross out wide, with Australia overcoming their first hurdle in the pursuit of the SVNS Valladolid title.

“That’s the main goal of our season is to make sure that we finish top eight but as a squad we really have a big vision: just to podium every tournament so that’s what we’re really focusing on,” Roache said.

“If we do that, I think we’ll be sweet.”

New Zealand faced Uruguay in the first men’s match of the three-day tournament, with six try-scorers making their mark as the All Blacks Sevens claimed a shutout 40-0 win. Argentina were up next against Germany, with Los Pumas Sevens triumphing 26-17.

After two women’s matches, the Australian men’s side took the field, followed by South Africa against Great Britain. The Blitzboks have emerged as the team to beat in men’s sevens, but it took a 16th-minute Tristan Leyds try to win that won 17-12.