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Mathew Scott

Let the records forever show that New Zealand did what they always seem to do - top their qualifying group at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
But the fine print - and the memories for those inside Hong Kong Stadium - will forever reveal they did so only after the unthinkable almost happened as Portugal missed a chance after the buzzer that would have shaken up the sevens playing world, instead settling for a 24-24 tie that regardless sent a tremor through the game's very foundations.
The All Blacks Sevens rode their luck as Nuno Guedes' conversion attempt sailed wide, then they regrouped and got their act together later in the day against Australia, grinding their way to a 14-5 win inspired by teenage sensation Rieko Ioane's two tries.
Last year's winners will awake on Sunday with a quarter-final clash against Argentina looming - and perhaps the words of coach Gordon Tietjens still ringing in their ears.
We defended really badly [against Portugal] and missed so many tackles and it cost us. We were probably a bit lucky to get away with the draw. But we got it together against a good Australian team
New Zealand coach Gorden Tietjens
He is about as measured as a man can get, in public, but you were left at the end of the day's play thinking Tietjens had let his charges know what he thought about that game against Portugal, in no uncertain terms.
"We were pretty disappointed with the morning's effort," he said. "We defended really badly and missed so many tackles and it cost us. We were probably a bit lucky to get away with the draw. But we got it together against a good Australian team.
"I was disappointed because the errors we made were probably not the result of the younger players, but the experienced players. Those are the guys who are going to bring the young players through."
The Kiwis have been keeping one of those young players - the 18-year-old Ioane - under wraps this tournament, and away from the press, but Tietjens let a little smile slip when asked about the winger's progress, and his potential.
"He scores tries when you need them and after every game like that he is going to get better and better," said Tietjens. "Rieko has to play with good younger players who have older players around them who lead and set a good example.
"I've always said that in Hong Kong every game is a final. We were lucky to get away with that draw against Portugal. After that we were hurting really badly - it was like a loss. We set higher standards than that - no disrespect to Portugal who played very, very well."Kiwi centre Sherwin Stowers has been another in-form player turning into the business end of the tournament and he said it was best that his teammates put Saturday far behind them.
"We have been a bit scratchy, but we have been in tournaments where we have been pretty scratchy [early] and we have gone on to win it," he said. "That's sevens. It doesn't matter what you did on the first and second, it's business day, the third day."
South Africa coach Neil Powell was preaching from the same book. Two wins - 27-0 over Japan and 29-7 over France - kept the HSBC Sevens World Series leaders unbeaten and set up a quarter-final against Australia.
"Obviously, our goal is to win the tournament, but we have to keep focused on that next game in the morning," said Powell.
"The major thing we can take out of the first two days is our defence. We pride ourselves on that and we've only really made one mistake - which allowed the try against France. If we make sure that doesn't happen again we will be in a pretty good position going forward."


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Young All Blacks Sevens gun Rieko Ioane makes life difficult for Australia. Photo: KY Cheng/SCMP

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Sport

Rugby

HK Sevens

New Zealand top their group - as they usually do - but it was far from plain sailing


Let the records forever show that New Zealand did what they always seem to do - top their qualifying group at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.


HSBC Sevens World Series 2014-15

It’s business as usual despite bumpy passage for All Blacks Sevens

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New Zealand top their group - as they usually do - but it was far from plain sailing

New Zealand top their group - as they usually do - but it was far from plain sailing