Sevens: Rangataua set for Shield

TOUGH COMPETITION: Action from Rangataua's game against Suva Stallions at the Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast Sevens.PHOTO/ JEREMY DUXBURY

A far more productive outing for Rangataua at the Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast Sevens in Sigatoka was not enough to reach the Bowl playoffs, and the compass will have to be reset for the Shield today.

Rangataua defeated Naviti Resort 14-7 in its only match of yesterday's day two action, and will face the the same opposition at 8am in the Shield quarter-finals.

Tries either side of halftime to Luke Masirewa and Paranihi Lovett saw the side home, benefiting in the first instance from a yellow card to a Naviti player, and then scoring a superbly executed set-piece try to Lovett after replacement Toby Harris had put Masirewa in the clear.

Conditions were mercifully cooler yesterday due to cloud cover after the boiling atmosphere on day one, and Rangataua looked more efficient and patient, not engaging the Fijians with their run and gun brand of sevens.

Captain Matt Clutterbuck was a happier man.

"It definitely wasn't as hot as yesterday and good to get a W. I got told before coming over here that not many New Zealand teams have won a game here. We got shocked in the first game with the heat and the speed of things, and we learned a lot about ball control.

"If you lose it, they will probably score. We probably let the second game slip. We'll go home with something hopefully now."

Set-piece sevens tries are always pleasing, as that is a reward for constant practice.

"We're not an out and out gas team or a team of individuals, so we try and get our set-piece right and go through our systems and hope the process will take care of the outcome," said Clutterbuck.

Relieved to not finish last in its pool, Rangataua know the going will not get easier against the energised Fijian sides.

"They are all fast and can step and offload, and for some reason there is always someone there to receive the offload," said Clutterbuck. "Sometimes it's hard to defend so you have to stay tight. This is an awesome experience, an eye-opener, especially for some of the younger boys who have never played out of the country before or at a high level tournament. It's been great for the club too."

Rangataua had not done enough to redress its points differential and missed out on the fourth third placed-qualifier berth, and entry to the Bowl, to another local side, Tovoleo. The injured duo of Roha Dalton-Reedy and Akira Mako will not be fit to play today.

-Campbell Burnes is in Fiji courtesy of Tourism Fiji.