DUBAI - The New Zealand sevens team's defence of its IRB world series title is off to a stuttering start with Gordon Tietjens' side crashing out in the semi final of the Dubai Sevens earlier today.
New Zealand had won the Dubai title in four of the previous five years heading
into the tournament.
But against Fiji, New Zealand made too many elementary mistakes and lost playmaker Amasio Valence for two minutes in the sin bin at the end of the first half.
Fiji went onto win the match 22-12 after they had led 12-7 at half-time.
England went on to the beat Fiji side 26-21 in the final.
Tietjens admitted the Fijians were simply too powerful for NZ on the night.
"Yeah they were too good all right, they played very well. It's disappointing because if we played to our potential we could have been good enough to win that," Tietjens said.
The coach lamented the loss of Valence which cost New Zealand dearly.
"Simple infringements like that are going to cost us and it cost us tonight. Under pressure we made a few mistakes and when we got the ball back after scoring we knocked a simple ball on in midfield and that really cost us as well," Tietjens said.
Fiji opened the scoring in the second minute through a try from Neumi Nanuku and they were able to thwart a series of New Zealand attacks until Tafai Ioasa broke through for a brilliant individual score in the 5th minute.
Fiji then took the lead with a decisive score on the stroke of half-time when Saiasi Fuli finished off a move with the New Zealand defence at sixes and sevens.
After the try was scored, referee Craig Joubert sent Valence to the bin for a late tackle in the movement leading up to the try.
Down a player against Fiji and any side is going to be up against it and the Islanders were quick to capitalise early in the second half when Mosese Luveitasau showed lightening speed down the touchline to score in the corner and extend the lead to 12 points.
New Zealand closed the gap through a try from Sosene Anesi, his seventh score of the tournament, and New Zealand's best player in Dubai.
But Tietjens lamented the inability to get the Waikato speedster much ball in the semi final.
"He was excellent throughout the tournament but we couldn't get the ball to him against Fiji."
Fiji sealed the game with their fourth try two minutes from fulltime after a brilliant chip kick from Nanuku who outpaced Anesi in the sprint for the line to score his second try.
Earlier New Zealand thumped Scotland 31-0 in the quarter finals with Anesi scoring two of the side's five tries.
Defending champions South Africa were knocked out in the semi finals 14-5 by England.
New Zealand now heads to George tomorrow for the Emirates Airline South African Sevens next weekend.
FULL RESULTS
Cup
Quarter-finals
New Zealand 31 (Sosene Anesi 2, Roy Kinikinilau, Josh Blackie, Liam Messam tries; Ai'i 3 con) Scotland 0.
Fiji 14 Samoa 7
South Africa 19 Argentina 12
England 24 Australia 5
Semi-finals
Fiji 22 (Neumi Nanuku 2, Mosese Luveitasau, Saiasi Fuli; Jone Daunivucu (con) New Zealand 12 (Tafai Ioasa, Sosene Anesi tries
England 14 South Africa 5
Final
England 26 Fiji 21
Plate
Semi-finals
Scotland 15 Samoa 33
Argentina 24 Australia 19
Final
Samoa 21 Argentina 19
Bowl
Quarter-finals
Canada 14 France 17
Ireland 19 Kenya 29
Portugal 5 Tunisia 0
Uganda 21 Arabian Gulf 14
Semi-finals
France 17 Kenya 7
Portugal 38 Uganda 0
Final
Portugal 10 France 5
Shield
Semi-finals
Canada 17 Ireland 24
Tunisia 31 Arabian Gulf 0
Final
Tunisia 17 Ireland 5
DUBAI - The New Zealand sevens team's defence of its IRB world series title is off to a stuttering start with Gordon Tietjens' side crashing out in the semi final of the Dubai Sevens earlier today.
New Zealand had won the Dubai title in four of the previous five years heading
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