Sevens: Rokocoko sends selectors a six-try signal

LONDON - All Blacks discard Joe Rokocoko scored three tries in each of his first two games to help New Zealand close in on another International Rugby Board sevens championship title at the London tournament yesterday.

New Zealand have been the only champions of the sevens world series in its six-year history and, after winning four of the previous six legs this season, they were set to wrap up another overall title today.

The New Zealanders dominated pool A with routs of Tunisia by 27-0 and Russia 36-7 in both of which Rokocoko bagged hat-tricks.

Rokocoko, who has scored 27 tries in 23 tests in the past two years, had an average Super 12 season and missed selection for the All Blacks' opening match of 2005 against his former homeland, Fiji, next Saturday.

But released to the New Zealand sevens side to sharpen up, the winger was irresistible.

New Zealand also thumped Scotland 36-0 to earn a quarter-final against France.

The team's dominant performance, inspired by the creative genius of Orene Ai'i, makes them hot favourites to wrap up the World Series with one round still to play in Paris next week.

New Zealand need only reach the semifinals to win the title.

Pool B was a repeat of the World Cup in Hong Kong in March, when England, France and Samoa finished level on match points, and had to be separated by points difference.

Defending champions England beat France 29-0, but France downed Samoa 24-19.

In the last match of the group, Samoa topped England 19-15, but the home side led the group with a points difference of plus-53, followed by France with plus-14, and Samoa only plus-11.

In quarter-finals today, England were to meet Scotland, who finished runner-up in pool A only after rallying to beat Russia 26-14.

World Cup champions Fiji were the class acts of pool C with easy wins over Canada, Italy and Australia, the runners-up.

Fiji were to meet Argentina in the last eight, while Australia were to play pool D winners South Africa.

South Africa and Argentina knocked off Portugal and Kenya, and, in their decider, the South Africans barely prevailed 24-21.