The Digicel Fiji 7s team was left to pick up the pieces after a Zar Lawrence try that saw New Zealand come from behind to defeat Fiji 17-14 in the Adelaide 7s semi-final at the Adelaide Oval.

New Zealand scored the first try of the match through Nigel Hunt but Fiji quickly recovered and scored two tries to Lepani Nabuliwaqa and Emosi Vucago to lead 14-5 at the breather.

Solomon King’s try in the first minute of second half to narrow the deficit and brought the New Zealanders to striking range before Zar Lawrence crossed over for the winning try.

Gordon Tietjens’ men marched onto the finals but were stopped in their tracks by a determined South Africa team losing 15-7.

Despite the loss New Zealand are still well ahead in the overall race for the Series crown on 126 points with South Africa 34 points behind on 92, 18 points clear of Fiji in third. Mathematically, New Zealand now need just seven points from the London event in May to tie up their Series defence.

Meanwhile Tonga recovered from the disappointment of their slender loss to New Zealand in the Cup quarter finals by holding on in the face of a late Kenya rally to take the Plate title in Adelaide and eight points towards the Series, Argentina took the Bowl title while Wales took the Shield.

Pool A
New Zealand 21 Argentina 14, Scotland 22 Cook Islands 17, New Zealand 33 Cook Islands 7, Argentina 21 Cook Islands 40, New Zealand 38 Scotland 10

Pool B
Samoa 28 Wales 17, Tonga 53 Japan 0, Samoa 31 Japan 26, Tonga 19 Wales 17, Wales 26 Japan 17, Samoa 14 Tonga 12

Pool C
South Africa 43 USA 0, Australia 21 Canada 14, Australia 31 USA 19, South Africa 21 Canada 7, USA 19 Canada 17, South Africa 19 Australia 7

Pool D
Fiji 31 England 12, France 12 Kenya 21, Kenya 17 England 10, England 12 France 19, Fiji 29 Kenya 14

BOWL

Quarterfinals
Argentina 24 Japan 12, France 28 Canada 19, USA 26 England 19, Wales 12 Scotland 17
Semifinals
Argentina 24 France 12, USA 29 Scotland 14
Final
Argentina 26 USA 21

SHIELD

Semifinals
Japan 19 Canada 24, England 14 Wales 19
Finals
Canada 7 Wales 12

PLATE



Semifinals
Tonga 21 Australia 7, Kenya 26 Cook Islands 14
Final
Tonga 14 Kenya 12

CUP

Quarterfinals
New Zealand 19 Tonga 14, Fiji 28 Australia 7, South Africa 19 Kenya 5, Samoa 48 Cook Islands 0
Semifinals
New Zealand 17 Fiji 14, South Africa 17 Samoa 12
Final
New Zealand 7 South Africa 15