Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
42 - 17
FT
5 - 34
FT
21 - 28
FT
29 - 10
FT
44 - 27
FT
20 - 21
FT
46 - 19
FT
46 - 14
FT
52 - 20
FT
10 - 9
FT
38 - 20
FT
44 - 34
FT
38 - 13
FT
19 - 35
FT
14 - 33
FT
75 - 28
FT
45 - 21
FT
36 - 14
FT
24 - 24
FT
29 - 30
FT
20 - 18
FT
27 - 29
FT
33 - 7
FT
76 - 5
FT
48 - 12
FT
38 - 19
FT
21 - 31
FT
16 - 50
FT
19 - 32
FT
42 - 14
FT
46 - 27
FT
InternationalFijiUSA

Fiji sevens dominate end of season awards

Meli Derenalagi celebrates scoring a try during the Cup semi final between Fiji and England on day two of the HSBC Rugby Sevens Singapore at the National Stadium. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images for Singapore Sports Hub)

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series came to its conclusion on Sunday, with Fiji crowned champions thanks to their Cup win over New Zealand in Paris, a result which saw them just pip rivals the USA to top spot overall.

ADVERTISEMENT

The two nations have gone back and forth all season and Fiji held just a two-point advantage over the USA heading into Paris, with a highly-anticipated semi-final match-up between the two, that Fiji won 33-17, deciding the outcome of the whole Series.

The annual award ceremony of the Series was held following the end of the Paris leg and, unsurprisingly, Fiji were one of the big winners from the night.

Meli Derenalagi won the Rookie of the Year award, whilst Vilimoni Botitu, who was also in contention for the Rookie of the Year gong, picked up the DHL Impact Player, with his Series-leading 356 points coming via 124 tackles, 24 breaks, 49 offloads and 159 carries. Both youngsters promise a bright future for Fiji sevens.

Derenalagi and Botitu both also made the HSBC Dream Team, alongside Fijian teammates Jerry Tuwai and Aminiasi Tuimaba.

The other three spots on the team were taken by US stars Folau Niua, Stephen Tomasin and Ben Pinkelman, with the USA also featuring prominently among the awards.

Head coach Mike Friday picked up the Capgemini Coach of the Series award, whilst Danny Barrett was given the UL Mark of Excellence for his athletic display against New Zealand in the Cape Town leg of the Series last year. Speedster wing Carlin Isles finished as the Gilbert Top Try Scorer, having crossed the whitewash 52 times during the Series, something which saw him successfully defend the trophy, having picked it up last season as well.

ADVERTISEMENT

The other two awards of the night saw France pick up the Fair Play award and Pol Pla and Spain deservedly wrap up the TAG Heuer Don’t Crack Under Pressure award for their outstanding display to beat New Zealand in the Vancouver leg of the Series earlier this year.

Watch: Fiji have turned down an offer from China for sevens coaches

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

2

Ben Spencer's Bath future in question as ex-teammate's club calls

3

Leinster confirm brutal extent of Caelan Doris injury lay-off

4

Former All Blacks weigh in on the No.9 position for AB's

5

Exeter players given '10-minute b******ing' despite big win over Saints

6

Rob Baxter hits back on-air at former Exeter star's comments

7

Overseas Lions XV: Four Scots, ten Englishmen and one Welshman make the cut

8

Carlos Spencer makes shock switch with Irish club rugby role

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

LONG READ

How the Chiefs have become Super Rugby Pacific's ultimate finishers

Clayton McMillan's impact subs and dynamism off the bench have made the Chiefs stronger at the end of matches than they are at the beginning.

LONG READ

What the data tells us about the make-up of the 2025 British and Irish Lions squad

Andy Farrell has picked a squad rich in age and experience and the hope is they don't get run off their feet Down Under

LONG READ

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

If they get their selection right, and see Andrew Porter's driving angle penalised, the Wallabies could turn a traditional weakness into their trump card.

Comments on RugbyPass

C
Cantab 5 hours ago
Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments
J
James 6 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments
d
dw 6 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments
d
dw 6 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments
d
dw 6 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.


Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 6 hours ago
'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments
J
JM 6 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 6 hours ago
'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments
O
OJohn 7 hours ago
Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments
C
Carlos 7 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments
C
Carlos 7 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments
S
Solenn Bonnet 7 hours ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 7 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 7 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 7 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.


Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments
B
BC 7 hours ago
Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments
O
Otagoman II 8 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments
N
NB 8 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍

37 Go to comments
N
NB 8 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Always the same at the other place. Some of those perceptions of him at the Tahs - lazy, overweight and slow - were impossible to shift!

37 Go to comments
N
NB 8 hours ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Hang on to Miz Carlos!

37 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer' 'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'
Search