Rugby: All Blacks Sevens remain unbeaten in Vancouver

Sherwin Stowers scored in the opener for New Zealand. Photo / Getty

5.05pm:

The class of Vilimoni Koroi shone through as the All Blacks Sevens finished day one in Vancouver with a clean 3-0 sheet.

The 18-year-old playmaker scored two superb solo tries in the narrow 15-14 victory over Canada, and it might have been three but he allowed the ball to be knocked out of his grasp as he was heading between the uprights. Scott Curry scored New Zealand's other try with an in and away that would have done most wingers proud.

Canada were hard to shake, playing rugged and intense sevens before a capacity home crowd, and the last second try to Adam Zaruba reduced the final margin to just one.

The upshot is that New Zealand top Pool D and will play Pool A runners-up England in the Cup quarter-finals at 7.52am (NZT) tomorrow. New Zealand defeated the same foes in the Las Vegas quarter-finals.

New Zealand ended day one having conceded just four tries, but this tight contest with Canada should stand them in good stead on finals day. Canada have the much tougher quarter against World Series leaders South Africa.

The other quarter-final match-ups see Fiji face Australia and USA against Argentina.

New Zealand 15 (Vilimoni Koroi 2, Scott Curry tries)
Canada 14 (Harry Jones, Adam Zaruba tries; Nathan Hirayama 2 con)
HT: 10-7

1.30pm:

The All Blacks Sevens are safely into the Cup quarter-finals in Vancouver after a 33-12 win over Scotland that was pleasing as much for the defence as it was for flowing attack.

Vilimoni Koroi was at the heart of much of the attacking flair, his chip and chase bouncing over his head and into Scott Curry's arms for the second try, and his skilful offload setting away Isaac Te Tamaki for the final score. Ambrose Curtis showed all his pace and skill with a brace.

Defensively, New Zealand had to cope without a player for two periods of two minutes, as Koroi and Iopu Iopu-Aso were both yellow carded.

Scotland had their share of ball, and scored two fine tries to Glenn Bryce and Dougie Fife, but they could not often command field position.

New Zealand are making do without veteran Tim Mikkelson, who was down with the flu this week.

Their final pool match is at 4.20pm (NZT) against hosts Canada, when it is expected the atmosphere via the sellout crowd will ramp up. Canada have also qualified for the Cup playoffs, dispatching Scotland and Russia.

New Zealand 33 (Ambrose Curtis 2, Scott Curry, Dylan Collier, Isaac Te Tamaki tries; Vilimoni Koroi 4 con)
Scotland 12 (Glenn Bryce, Dougie Fife tries; Scott Wight con)
HT: 21-5

10.00am:

The All Blacks Sevens are underway in style in the Vancouver leg of the World Series.

New Zealand were untroubled in blanking Russia 40-0 and appeared to relish the wider field and less coarse artificial turf which hampered them in Las Vegas last weekend and led to three of their squad having to battle infections.

To the fore in the six-try drubbing was Tasman's Andrew Knewstubb, who came off the bench to score two tries and set one up for his skipper Scott Curry, back after concussion issues ruled him out of Vegas. Knewstubb showed a fine array of skills, including a judicious grubber which allowed Ambrose Curtis to latch onto for a try.

Curry himself gave a nice offload to set up Trael Joass for New Zealand's opening try, while Sherwin Stowers' five-pointer was his 123rd on the circuit.

New Zealand 40 (Andrew Knewstubb 2, Trael Joass, Sherwin Stowers, Scott Curry, Ambrose Curtis tries; Beaudein Waaka 4 con, Vilimoni Koroi con)
Russia 0
HT: 12-0