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FIJI WINS CUP — SAMOA TAKES SHIELD

Champion Fiji has done it again.  Down 15 points at the half in their Cup final match with Australia, the Bulavinaka players scored three converted tries in the second half to successfully defend their Cup championship from last year with a 21-15 victory.

 

Australia crossed the end zone three times in the first half as Fiji struggled with only six players in the field as one was sent off the field for two minutes for a nose tackle infringement.

 

But in the second half, the Fijians came roaring back with big hearts scoring three tries under the uprights to again take the Las Vegas IRB sevens Cup it won a year ago.

 

Samoa Toloa was the star of Samoa’s team as he scored two tries to help his team defeat Canada in the Shield championship final, 24-12.

 

The Canadians however tied the game at 12-all at halftime.  In the second half, two successive touchdowns scored by Tomasi Alefosio and Belgium Tuatagaloa cemented the championship for Samoa. 

 

Samoa’s victory over Fiji in its first match of the three-day event at Sam Boyd Stadium came at a price as captain, Falemiga Selesele suffered a concussion and was ruled out of the tournament.

 

There were also reports of some Samoan players suffering from food poisoning but that rumor has yet to be verified.  They will head to Vancouver, Canada for this weekend’s 5th leg of the International Rugby Tournament’s current sevens series.

 

Wales defeated France 28-14 for the Bowl championship while New Zealand clobbered Japan 27-7 to take the Plate final.  South Africa hurdled over the USA 21-10 to place 3rd in the overall tournament.  The Americans settled for 4th.