2016 Wellington Sevens

The 2016 New Zealand Sevens was the third tournament within the 2015–16 World Rugby Sevens Series and the seventeenth edition of the Wellington Sevens. It was held over the weekend 30–31 January 2016 at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.

2016 Wellington Sevens
Sevens World Series XVII
Host nation New Zealand
Date30–31 January 2016
Cup
Champion New Zealand
Runner-up South Africa
Third Fiji
Plate
Winner Australia
Runner-up Argentina
Bowl
Winner Samoa
Runner-up Scotland
Shield
Winner France
Runner-up Russia
Tournament details
Matches played45
2015
2017

Format

The teams were drawn into four pools of four teams each. Each team plays every other team in their pool once. The top two teams from each pool advanced to the Cup/Plate brackets. The bottom two teams from each group went to the Bowl/Shield brackets.

Teams

The 16 participating teams for the tournament:[1]

Squads

Final squads were announced on 28 January 2016. The most notable announced addition was the debut of 2015 Rugby World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams for New Zealand.[2]

Pool Stage

Key to colours in group tables
Teams that advanced to the Cup Quarterfinal

Pool A

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
 New Zealand 33006514+519
 South Africa 32019624+727
 Scotland 31023172–415
 Russia 300324111–873
30 January 2016
13:42
South Africa  28–5  Scotland
Report

30 January 2016
14:04
New Zealand  38–7  Russia
Report

30 January 2016
16:44
South Africa  54–0  Russia
Report

30 January 2016
17:06
New Zealand  27–7  Scotland
Report

30 January 2016
20:04
Scotland  19–17  Russia
Report

30 January 2016
20:30
South Africa  14–19  New Zealand
Report

Pool B

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
 Fiji 330010924+859
 Argentina 32016057+37
 Wales 31025280–285
 Japan 300349109–603
30 January 2016
12:14
Argentina  19–12  Wales
Report

30 January 2016
12:36
Fiji  45–7  Japan
Report

30 January 2016
15:16
Argentina  31–14  Japan
Report

30 January 2016
15:38
Fiji  33–7  Wales
Report

30 January 2016
18:20
Wales  33–28  Japan
Report

30 January 2016
18:46
Argentina  10–31  Fiji
Report

Pool C

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
 England 32015036+147
 United States 32015860–27
 France 31026358+55
 Samoa 31024966–175
30 January 2016
11:30
France  14–17  England
Report

30 January 2016
11:52
United States  24–20  Samoa
Report

30 January 2016
14:32
France  28–12  Samoa
Report

30 January 2016
14:54
United States  5–19  England
Report

30 January 2016
17:28
England  14–17  Samoa
Report

30 January 2016
17:54
France  21–29  United States
Report

Pool D

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
 Australia 33006246+169
 Kenya 32016929+407
 Canada 31027164+75
 Portugal 30032487–633
30 January 2016
12:58
Kenya  31–7  Canada
Report

30 January 2016
13:20
Australia  19–12  Portugal
Report

30 January 2016
16:00
Kenya  26–5  Portugal
Report

30 January 2016
16:22
Australia  26–22  Canada
Report

30 January 2016
19:12
Canada  42–7  Portugal
Report

30 January 2016
19:38
Kenya  12–17  Australia
Report

Knockout stage

Shield

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
31 January 2016 – 11:30 – Westpac Stadium
 
 
 Scotland29
 
31 January 2016 – 14:40 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Portugal12
 
 Portugal17
 
31 January 2016 – 11:52 – Westpac Stadium
 
 France22
 
 France14
 
31 January 2016 – 18:30 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Japan19
 
 France14
 
31 January 2016 – 12:14 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Russia7
 
 Canada35
 
31 January 2016 – 15:02 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Russia12
 
 Russia17
 
31 January 2016 – 12:36 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Wales0
 
 Wales24
 
 
 Samoa29
 

Bowl

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
31 January 2016 – 11:30 – Westpac Stadium
 
 
 Scotland29
 
31 January 2016 – 15:24 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Portugal12
 
 Scotland31
 
31 January 2016 – 11:52 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Japan26
 
 France14
 
31 January 2016 – 19:00 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Japan19
 
 Scotland7
 
31 January 2016 – 12:14 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Samoa19
 
 Canada35
 
31 January 2016 – 15:46 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Russia12
 
 Canada7
 
31 January 2016 – 12:36 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Samoa26
 
 Wales24
 
 
 Samoa29
 

Plate

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
31 January 2016 – 13:02 – Westpac Stadium
 
 
 New Zealand36
 
31 January 2016 – 16:08 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Kenya0
 
 Kenya14
 
31 January 2016 – 13:24 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Argentina35
 
 England33
 
31 January 2016 – 19:30 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Argentina7
 
 Argentina5
 
31 January 2016 – 13:46 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Australia21
 
 Australia14
 
31 January 2016 – 16:30 – Westpac Stadium
 
 South Africa26
 
 Australia17
 
31 January 2016 – 14:08 – Westpac Stadium
 
 United States5
 
 Fiji21
 
 
 United States12
 

Cup

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
31 January 2016 - 13:02 – Westpac Stadium
 
 
 New Zealand36
 
31 January 2016 – 17:27 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Kenya0
 
 New Zealand25
 
31 January 2016 – 13:24 – Westpac Stadium
 
 England5
 
 England33
 
31 January 2016 – 20:30 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Argentina7
 
 New Zealand24
 
31 January 2016 – 13:46 – Westpac Stadium
 
 South Africa21
 
 Australia14
 
31 January 2016 – 17:52 – Westpac Stadium
 
 South Africa26
 
 South Africa31
 
31 January 2016 – 14:08 – Westpac Stadium
 
 Fiji0 Third place
 
 Fiji21
 
31 January 2016 – 20:00 – Westpac Stadium
 
 United States12
 
 England12
 
 
 Fiji24
 

Cup final

The Cup final of the 2016 Wellington Sevens was contested by New Zealand and South Africa, after they won their semi-final matches against England and Fiji respectively. It was the second time the two teams met in the tournament, after New Zealand won their Pool A match 19–14 the previous day.[3]

New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams dropped the ball from the kick-off, immediately giving possession straight back to South Africa. They led 7–0 with a converted try to Philip Snyman after three minutes, which was soon increased to 14–0 after Rosko Specman scored from a five meter scrum. Cheslin Kolbe converted both tries. Akira Ioane scored a try for New Zealand 30 seconds before half-time, which Kurt Baker converted, making the scoreline 14-7 at the break.

Specman almost scored a second try before a wayward Williams pass allowed Seabelo Senatla to extend South Africa's lead to 21-7 halfway through the second half.[4] With less than four minutes remaining, Specman was sent to the sin bin following a professional foul,[5] with South Africa reduced to six men. Rieko Ioane scored two tries with Baker converted one, reducing South Africa's lead to 21–19. Despite Specman returning to the field and the full-time hooter sounding, New Zealand completed their come-from-behind victory, with Joe Webber scoring a try in injury time to secure a 24–21 victory for the hosts, ensuring New Zealand won their home tournament for the third year in succession.[6][7]

Australian referee Matt O'Brien officiated the final, but received criticism for his handling of the match, with a number of decisions in the latter stages of the match being given in New Zealand's favour[5] and South Africa's coach Neil Powell later said that he would seek clarification from the officials.[8][9] Some New Zealand observers have commented that the officiating was an embarrassment.[10]

Despite the loss, South Africa moved to the top of the 2015–16 World Rugby Sevens Series log, two points ahead of second-placed Fiji.[11]

References

  1. "Pools drawn for HSBC Wellington Sevens". World Rugby. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  2. "Final squads declared for HSBC Wellington Sevens".
  3. "RSA 14–19 NZL". World Rugby. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  4. "NZ win sevens final". Stuff. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  5. "New ref steams up SA rugby fans". Sport24. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  6. "NZL 24–21 RSA". World Rugby. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  7. "Wellington Sevens 2016: Coverage of day two of the world series tournament". Fox Sports.
  8. "Blitzboks must pick themselves up". SuperSport. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  9. "'The whole charade was an embarrassment'". NewsComAu. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  10. "Reason: Sevens reffing a charade". Stuff. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  11. "Springbok Sevens take World Series lead". South African Rugby Union. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
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