The Digicel Fiji 7s team once again lost the plot against Gordon Tietjens men succumbing to a 7-34 defeat in the final of the Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens at Outeniqua Park in George on Saturday.

New Zealand raced into a 29-0 lead with tries from Lote Raikabula, Victor Vito (2), captain DJ Forbes and James Kamana before Neumi Nanuku scored the Digicel Fiji 7s team's only try of the match.

The title is New Zealand's fourth consecutive in the IRB Sevens World Series after their victories in London, Edinburgh and Dubai and gives them a maximum 40 points from the opening two tournaments, eight more than the Digicel Fiji 7s team.

South Africa, semi-finalists in both Dubai and George, are third with 24 points, four more than Argentina, who followed up their Plate victory in Dubai with a Cup semi-final in George. England and Kenya are next, both with 12 points.

A hat-trick from Zar Lawrence had helped New Zealand beat Argentina 38-14 in the semi-final, the IRB Sevens World Series champions having beaten a committed USA 36-0 in the quarter-final.

The Digicel Fiji 7s team's manner of victory in their semi-final was nowhere near as comfortable scoring tries from Akuila Nawerecagi and Tomasi Mawa in the last two minutes to silence the vociferous home support with a 21-12 victory over South Africa.

The Springbok Sevens paid the price for not converting their attacking opportunities into points and experienced the same disappointment Scotland had endured at their hands in the quarter-finals when Vuyo Zangqa scored in the dying seconds to snatch a 21-17 win.

Neumi Nanuku had earlier scored two of the Digicel Fiji 7s team's tries in their 24-12 defeat of Kenya, the Africans losing in the last eight of the Cup for the second tournament in a row. Argentina meanwhile had to come from behind twice to beat Samoa 22-19 in the other quarter-final.

Results

Pool A
New Zealand 19 Kenya 0, England 24 Zimbabwe 7, New Zealand 41 Zimbabwe 0, England 7 Kenya 17, Kenya 15 Zimbabwe 10, New Zealand 26 England 24

Pool B
Fiji 29 Canada 0, France 12 USA 14, Fiji 47 USA 7, France 24 Canada 14, Canada 5 USA 15, Fiji 34 France 12

Pool C
South Africa 24 Argentina 7, Wales 38 Uganda 0, South Africa 41 Uganda 0, Wales 12 Argentina 24, Argentina 38 Uganda 7, South Africa 31 Wales 0

Pool D
Samoa 38 Scotland 7, Australia 12 Tunisia 12, Samoa 22 Tunisia 14, Australia 10 Scotland 21, Scotland 21 Tunisia 14, Samoa 20 Australia 19

SHIELD
Semifinals
Canada 31 Uganda 5, Tunisia 17 Zimbabwe 21
Final
Canada 31 Zimbabwe 14

BOWL
Quarterfinals
England 35 Canada 5, Australia 34 Uganda 7, Wales 31 Tunisia 24, France 24 Zimbabwe 19
Semifinals
England 29 Australia 14, Wales 22 France 17
Final
England 19 Wales 21

PLATE
Semifinals
USA 24 Samoa 19, Scotland 15 Kenya 17
Plate Final
USA 14 Kenya 15

CUP
Quarterfinals
New Zealand 36 USA 0, Samoa 19 Argentina 22, South Africa 21 Scotland 17, Fiji 24 Kenya 12
Semifinals
New Zealand 38 Argentina 14, South Africa 12 Fiji 21
Final
New Zealand 34 Fiji 7