Kong Kong’s rugby sevens
NZPA Hong Kong The world’s biggest international seven-a-side rugby championship yesterday developed into a battle between the cold, calculating play of the big names and inventive flair from the Pacific. The top seeds—the British Barbarians, Australia, Scottish Border and Fijiamassed huge points totals as they zipped through the preliminary round of the 20team contest to a place in today’s finals. They will be joined there by the Argentine Pumas, Canada, the American Eagles, and either Tonga or
Japan, who play a last decider today. A New Zealand team was not invited to play this year. The Barbarians, last year’s winners,' eased through 30-0 against Sri Lanka, 24-0 against Western Samoa and 20-0 against Muscat. Australia losing finalists in 1981, beat Brunei 28-0 and inflicted a 52-0 defeat on Indonesia, the biggest winning margin in the history of the six-year-old championship. But it was the free-flowing game of the tearaway Pacific islanders which delighted the IO.GOG crowd in this British colony's main stadium.
The powerful Tpngans ripped into a Scottish Border side packed with internationals and lost only 9-10 when a clearance was charged down by John Rutherford for a last gasp try. Fiji was equally impressive, winning 28-0 against Japan, trouncing the American Eagles 30-4 and beating Singapore 32-0. Of the minor teams, still fighting it out for a place in the loser’s plate, the best appeared to be South Korea, Hong Kong and the American Eagles. Other results were that
Barbarians beat Argentine Pumas 22-12, and Australia beat Canada 36-0. Final preliminary round table (top two through to Cup competition, third and fourth to losers plate, fifth eliminated): Group A: Barbarians 8, Pumas 6, Western Samoa 4, Muscat 2, Sri Lanka 0. Group B: Australia 8, Canada 6, Hong Kong 4, Indonesia 2, Brunei 0. Group C: Scottish Border 8, Tonga 6, South Korea 4, Thailand 2, Papua New Guinea 0. Group D: Fiji 8, American Eagles 6, Japan 4, Malaysia 2, Singapore 0.
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Press, 29 March 1982, Page 32
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329Kong Kong’s rugby sevens Press, 29 March 1982, Page 32
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