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Watch: Vaenuku the hero as Black Ferns and All Blacks Sevens reach semis
By Henry Lee
Both the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens have progressed through to the HSBC SVNS Series semi-finals at HBF Park in Perth.
It was a rocky start for Tomasi Cama’s side, going down 21-14 to the hosts, Australia, in the first game of Pool B on day one. The All Blacks Sevens side was then beaten by Great Britain, setting up a must-win clash against France in their final pool game on Day One.
For Cory Sweeney’s Black Ferns Sevens, there were no hiccups along the way, beating USA, Japan, and Fiji in pool play in Perth.
As the Black Ferns Sevens finished first in Pool A, they will take on France in the first semi-final at 5:13pm NZT on Sunday evening, while the hosts Australia, who also went three-from-three in pool play, will take on USA at 5:35pm NZT.
On the Men’s side of the draw, the first semi-final will be a repeat from last week’s Singapore leg, where Fiji will take on the All Blacks Sevens at 5:57pm NZT, while Australia and South Africa make up the other semi-final at 6:19pm NZT.
VIDEO
In Cama’s side’s final game of the day, their must-win game against France, it was 20-year-old rising-star Frank Vaenuku who came up clutch, scoring a late, extra-time try to clinch a semi-final berth, albeit waiting on an Australia victory over Great Britain.
The All Blacks Sevens had got off to a hot start in the first half, getting out to a 7-0 lead through a powerful run from Kitona Vai.
Vai put the ball in one hand and brushed off a couple of French defenders to put New Zealand in front.
Rayan Rebbadj hit back for France on the stroke of halftime, before Josselin Bouhier gave the underdogs the lead with two minutes remaining in the contest.
But in Sevens, two minutes is more than enough time for a game to change, which is where Cama’s side started to move into another gear.
Vaenuku threw a left-to-right dummy, which sold one French defender, as he sprinted away to score his first, but not his last, of the evening.
In-form young Bay of Plenty speedster Kele Lasaqa then gave the All Blacks Sevens what looked like the victory, with a try of his own in the final minute, before a yellow card to Brady Rush gifted France a penalty try to send the game to extra-time.
Vaenuku, or “Frank the tank” as many like to call him, found himself with ball in hand after the referee blew a penalty against France inside their own half.
The powerful youngster had the initiative to take the quick tap and push his way through the defence, to do his bit in helping secure the victory and semi-final place for the All Blacks Sevens in Perth.
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