England Sevens beat Samoa in nerve-racking style
England 12 Samoa 7
England have won their pool in the fourth Rugby World Cup Sevens to earn a quarter final match against Scotland. In a tense final pool game match against Samoa, England managed to hold the Samoans off with a much needed try coming from captain Simon Amor (Gloucester).
England came close to scoring three tries in the opening minutes of the match but it was not until the fifth minute that a try was actually scored, by Ugo Monye of NEC Harlequins. A successful conversion by Ben Gollings meant England were in the lead but Samoa soon came back with a try by Kiri Mariner to make it 12 all at the break.
England’s second try was by captain Simon Amor who just got the ball over the line and Ben Golling’s conversion bounced off the posts leaving England just five points ahead.
The last few moments of the game saw frantic attacking by Samoa but England defended well to stop them crossing the line, despite several attempts and five metre scrums.
England Sevens Coach Mike Friday was relieved with the result, “The truth is we have won ugly here tonight and by hook or by crook we have topped our pool. It hasn’t been by performing like we hoped but we will make sure that changes for tomorrow. It was our defence that won us that game – pure grit and determination by Pat Sanderson (Worcester Warriors), Phil Dowson (Newcastle Falcons), Pete Richards (London Wasps) and Henry Paul (Gloucester). Plus our captain scored when we needed it most. I can assure you that I have aged significantly during that match. I know now what Joe Lydon always meant, maybe from now on I will have to shave my hair like he does as mine will certainly be falling out!”
Looking ahead to the final, knock-out day tomorrow, Friday said, “We have a fantastic squad out here and we just need to perform like we know we can. Tomorrow is a new tournament and we must treat it as one and perform every time we take to the pitch.”
England play Scotland in the quarter finals of the Melrose Cup competition at 15.11 (07.11 UK time).
Scorers:
England – Tries: Ugo Monye, Simon Amor
Conversions: Ben Gollings
Samoa – Tries: Kiri Mariner
Conversions: David Lemi
Teams:
England – Tony Roques (London Irish), Pat Sanderson (Worcester Warriors), Henry Paul (Gloucester), Phil Dowson (Newcastle Falcons), Ben Gollings, Simon Amor, Captain (Gloucester), Ugo Monye (NEC Harlequins)
Reps: Rob Thirlby (Penzance & Newlyn), Peter Richards (London Wasps), Geoff Appleford (London Irish)
Reps not used: Neil Starling (Northampton Saints), Richard Haughton (Saracens)
Samoa – Lome Fa’atua, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Kiri Mariner, Gaolo Elisara, Apoua Stewart, Brian Lima, David Lemi
Reps: Paul Perez, Samu Eteuati, Uale Mai
Reps not used: Junior Leota, Mark Tanuvasa
Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
The other quarter final matches are:
New Zealand v. France (14.05 local)
South Africa v. Australia (14.27)
Fiji v. Argentina (14.49)
Ends.
