Sunday Snippets

Fiji Champs: Fiji have today won the opening tournament of the HSBC IRB Sevens World Series, after they overcame neighbours Samoa 31-24 in the final. Played out on Australia’s Gold Coast, the Fijians were in top form all weekend, as they overcame side after side put in front of them, finally defeating Pacific Island neighbours Samoa in the grand final. With a 26-0 lead in the bag at the interval, the game was all but sealed up by the Fijians, courtesy of tries from Setfano Cakau, Semi Kunalani and Apisai Domolali. However, Samoan tries in the second period, from the likes of Lolu Lui, Yila Mealoi and Siaosi Asofolau, saw the Samoan outfit back into the game but their comeback was just too little too late, as the Fijians ran out 31-24 winners on the Gold Coast.

Uruguay in: Uruguay booked their spot at the 2015 Rugby World Cup last night, as they overcame fellow qualifiers Russia 57-49 on aggregate. Played over the course of two legs, Russia took a one point advantage into the second of the encounters, leading 22-21 after a well earned victory in Krasnoyarsk two weeks previously. In front of a 14000 strong home crowd in the Uruguayan capital, the hosts ran out 36-27 winners, and in the process booked themselves the final spot amongst the rest of the qualifiers for rugby’s showpiece event in England in 2015. Uruguay will join the likes of England, Wales, Australia and Fiji in Pool A of next year’s biggest Rugby tournament.