KEY POINTS:
New Zealand trampled roughshod over Australia, winning a one-sided semifinal 32-7 to set up a final against Samoa at the International Rugby Board sevens tournament here today.
New Zealand's superior size and fitness told on yet another opponent as they charged into the final with a powerful six-try performance at Westpac Stadium.
Only defending champions Samoa can prevent a third successive win in this season's series for the New Zealanders after they scraped past Tonga 24-21 in a bruising all-Pacific semifinal.
New Zealand and Samoa met in the final match of pool play last night, with the hosts emerging 19-7 winners.
That has been the toughest game of the tournament so far for New Zealand, who crushed Wales 40-5 in their quarterfinal today.
The Australians looked like they would put up a fight when Tim Wright miraculously held up Zar Lawrence when the New Zealander crossed the tryline in the opening seconds.
However, normal business resumed when impressive forwards Steven Yates and Edwin Cocker crossed for tries.
Scott Higginbotham kept the contest alive at 10-7 when he scored just before halftime for Australia.
However, as was the case against Wales, the hosts were untouchable in the second spell, with tries going to captain DJ Forbes, Lawrence, twice, while Yates also bagged his second.
Australia's cause wasn't helped by a yellow card being dished out to Higginbotham early in the second half.
Samoa just held out a fast-finishing Tonga, who scored the last two tries before a desperate attack was thwarted near the tryline in the final act of the game.
Samoa's extra speed proved the difference, particularly that of Mikaele Pesamino.
Last night Pesamino scored against New Zealand, one of just two players to do so at this tournament.
The other was Welsh captain Jonathan Edwards, who had his team 5-0 up in their quarterfinal before the hosts clicked and responded with six tries of their own.
The outstanding Lote Raikabula snared two of them, with the others going to Victor Vito, Tomasi Cama, Cocker and Yates.
Australia hammered Scotland 31-7 but the other two quarterfinals were major boilovers.
South Africa, who had cruised effortlessly through pool play, didn't adjust to the abrasive Tongan style in going down 10-14.
Fiji never recovered from the early sinbinning of captain Etonia Naba for the use of an elbow and lost 17-19, a repeat of the outcome of last year's final here.
During Naba's two minutes on the sideline Samoa crossed twice, establishing a 19-0 lead at halftime.
The second half was all Fiji but a late missed conversion by Neumi Nanuku that would have levelled the scores proved costly.
- NZPA
