Young bloods show they're a class above

New Zealand Sevens captain Liam Messam celebrates a performance that was timed to perfection. Picture / Fotopress

New Zealand head to Los Angeles primed for a further assault on the IRB sevens series after winning the Wellington event.

Underhand Argentine tactics failed to derail New Zealand's third consecutive victory as they thumped the South Americans 31-7.

Besides securing the outright lead in the IRB series, New Zealand's comprehensive display served as an ominous warning to other contenders.

But the side travel to Los Angeles for the fourth leg without two of their stars. Captain Liam Messam and Wellington's Roy Kinikinilau both have knee injuries and have been replaced by Bay of Plenty's Jason Hona and North Harbour loose forward Brent Wilson.

Messam could be out for four weeks and Kinikinilau is seeing a doctor today.

"It is disappointing to be without Liam and Roy, who both played a crucial role in our winning performance on the weekend," coach Gordon Tietjens said. "But it is important that they receive the necessary treatment in order to push for selection for next month's World Cup sevens in Hong Kong."

Tietjens said his estimation of the team had catapulted over the weekend.

"In the back of my mind I knew they could do it but whether they could produce it out here in the Cake Tin with all this pressure was yet to be seen but they came through," Tietjens said.

"It was a great team performance and fantastic to see the younger guys in their first big sevens tournament perform the way they did."

Besides coping with the pressure generated from a manic 35,000-strong crowd, New Zealand had to contend with biting and testicle grabbing as Argentina hit below the belt.

Messam was mistaken for a piece of prime beef. Santiago Gomez Cora was sent-off mid-way through the second half for biting. He was subsequently suspended from all rugby until February 15 following a judicial hearing, which means he will miss the Los Angeles tournament.

At the hearing, Cora admitted in a statement that he had bitten a New Zealand player but claimed he had done so in response to provocation.

Following the over-aggressive use of the teeth, star performer Tamati Ellison also experienced some Argentinian anger when he confirmed that his testicles had been grabbed during the match.

Despite the niggle and sinbinning, the incidents did not detract from a New Zealand performance which was timed to perfection.

Before the tournament, New Zealand's lack of pace was discussed as a possible weakness.

Their forwards, ably led by Messam, decided to take the direct route, crashing up the middle while Kinikinilau ran riot down the flanks, becoming the tournament's leading try-scorer with 10.

In the final, New Zealand showed they were a class above, with Orene Ai'i mesmerising the defence with his stepping.

The young guns followed suit, with Ellison breaking the line and off-loading superbly.

NZ's path to title

beat Kenya 40-7
beat US 43-0
beat Fiji 26-7
beat Samoa 26-14
beat South Africa 34-12
beat Argentina 31-7

Series standings

NZ 52
Fiji 44
England 36
Argentina 34

- NZPA