Rugby sevens: Rookie O'Donnell runs riot

Declan O'Donnell, resplendent in red boots, scores a try. Photo / Getty Images

Think of a Wellington All Black; a fine scorer of tries; someone who seemed to glide even though he was going like the wind; an intuitive finder of gaps; a player of pace who could change direction without losing that speed.

Hands up all those who said Christian Cullen - who first burst to prominence in sevens. Then take another look at Wellington's Declan O'Donnell - the rookie who took the Wellington Sevens by storm this weekend.

New Zealand won the final against an energised England side who, for a time, knocked the New Zealanders off their slick passing and support game and their physical presence at the breakdown.

But they still led 12-7 at halftime, courtesy of yet another O'Donnell try. This time he was caught for pace by England speedster Dan Norton but stepped and fended him off for an invaluable score.

He wrapped up matters with a runaway try with four minutes to go and then popped up in support of a Frank Halai run to notch his hat-trick.

O'Donnell broke the record for the most tries scored at the tournament (previously six; he got 10) and was a constant danger on attack.

It's a ridiculous comparison to make, of course. Sevens offers space and time that the 15-man game doesn't and Cullen had a languid genius not easily replicated. O'Donnell has been around about a nano-second in contrast, but he seems to have something in those red shoes.

England scored first, putting New Zealand under pressure and opening a gap which the huge Fijian Isoa Damudamu took. Gordon Tietjens' side then struck back, with a Tomasi Cama pass splitting the English for a try to Toby Arnold. O'Donnell's try was the turning point and Cama wriggled through a dummy-half gap straight after the whistle to have New Zealand ahead 19-7 before O'Donnell's final flourishes.

The semifinal against Australia, won 17-0, was another perfect example. O'Donnell scored the first try, a Tomasi Cama pass creating the space, a DJ Forbes dummy run widening it and O'Donnell was through the gap like a scalded cat. Tim Mikkelsen added another for a 10-0 lead at halftime, beating four tackles - although the Australians will feel they should have made all of them.

O'Donnell scored the last try, skirting the defence with those red boots after Cama was yellow-carded - and had to defend grimly against an Australian onslaught which, if successful, could have turned the game.

England made the final after beating Argentina 14-7 in the quarter-final and then Samoa 7-5 in one of the most entertaining yet physical clashes of the day.

England won the match with an end-to-end try after being under enormous pressure - but Samoa (who had beaten Fiji) will rue two golden chances for tries (one in the last seconds) which would have ushered them into the final.

One saw a misdirected pass cost a try and then a kick-and-chase right at the death saw too much kick defeat the chase when just a touch of control would have won it.

Earlier, New Zealand didn't have it all their own way in the quarter-final against Wales. The Welsh were a trifle unlucky, losing 26-5.

First, speedster Rhys Jones couldn't get the bounce of the ball as he out-sprinted the other New Zealand rookie sensation, Halai, in a kick-and-chase - and then what seemed a perfectly good try to Wales when they trailed 19-5 was disallowed.

Still, the Welsh had no answer to O'Donnell. He scored two tries, one of them swerving happily around the defence with what is becoming his trademark ability to shift direction at pace.

IRB Sevens final

* New Zealand 29

* England 7