New Zealand wins Los Angeles rugby 7s event as Australia secures World Series title

New Zealand beat Olympic champion Fiji 28-21 in the final of the men's HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Los Angeles on Sunday immediately after Australia clinched its first World Series title, a championship decided in the penultimate match of a season which began nine months ago.

Several teams were in the hunt for the title when the last tournament began and new potential winners emerged as fortunes changed over two eventful days.

South Africa entered the tournament atop the World Series standings but only two points clear of Australia. When South Africa was twice beaten in the group stage — by the United States and New Zealand — it missed out on the quarterfinals of the elite Cup division and Australia's chances of claiming the world title increased.

Australia's 29-10 loss to Fiji in the Cup semifinals kept three teams in contention for the title. Australia needed to beat Samoa in the bronze medal playoff to secure it, while Fiji needed to win the final and for Samoa to win the bronze and South Africa needed both Australia and Fiji to lose their medal matches.

Finally, a confident and well-drilled Australia team beat Samoa 31-7 to take third place in the tournament and join their national women's team who already are World Series champions. Australia is just the fifth nation after Fiji, New Zealand, South Africa and Samoa to win the men's World Series title.

"A huge accomplishment for so much hard work, I couldn't be prouder of the whole squad"