Tietjens has eye on Games gold after Fiji sevens KO

Coach Gordon Tietjens will switch focus to a gold medal at next month's Commonwealth Games after New Zealand's stuttering International Rugby Board sevens campaign hit another Fijian wall in Los Angeles yesterday.

Tietjens bemoaned some marginal refereeing decisions as New Zealand's faint hopes of a seventh consecutive IRB crown were virtually ended by a 22-17 semifinal loss to Fiji in the United States tournament.

It means the young New Zealand side have the huge task of winning all four remaining tournaments in the IRB series to have any hope of retaining the title.

William Ryder scored the sudden-death try for Fiji after New Zealand captain Tafai Ioasa levelled the scores 17-17 to take the match to extra time.

To rub salt into the wound, Fiji were hammered 38-5 by England in the final. Fiji have ended New Zealand's campaign in all four tournaments of the current series, including a semifinal defeat in Wellington the previous week.

"It was a great game of sevens rugby. It went down to the wire, and a couple of calls didn't go our way which was disappointing - crucial calls that really cost us," said Tietjens.

Cory Jane and Alfred Pelenise were two players singled out for special mention by Tietjens as the race heats up for Commonwealth Games spots.

Tietjens is likely to bring in all five of the Super 14 players named in the Games' wider squad last week - Blues winger Doug Howlett, Chiefs winger Sosene Anesi, Hurricanes utility Tamati Ellison, Crusaders flanker Tanerau Latimer and Highlanders flanker Josh Blackie.

New Zealand drew with Australia 17-17 before hammering Canada 45-0 in yesterday's quarter-finals.

Fiji booked their semifinal with a controversial 29-5 win over France, but lost Lepani Nabuliwaqa to a six-week suspension after a judicial panel found him guilty of a dangerous tackle.

- NZPA