Australia makes 34-year first with stunning win

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Australia bushed Fiji 20-17 to triumph the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens connected Sunday, denying the Fijians a sixth consecutive title.

It's been 34 years since Australia won the title, backmost successful 1988 erstwhile David Campese and Michael Lynagh helped the squad decision New Zealand.

Fiji started the stronger side, jumping retired to an aboriginal 12-0 pb done Josua Vakurunabili and Waisea Nacuqu, and appeared assured of gathering connected its 36-game winning streak successful Hong Kong.

But Henry Hutchison replied for Australia to trim the shortage to 12-5 astatine the break. The 2nd fractional started with different Australia people courtesy of Tim Clements earlier Nacuqu replied for Fiji to widen the spread erstwhile again.

But a yellowish paper to Fiji's Joseva Talacolo appeared to plaything the lucifer successful Australia's favour with Hutchison touching down a abbreviated clip aboriginal to adjacent the spread to 17-15.

Nathan Lawson completed the comeback aft sprinting down the near flank to interaction down astatine the country emblem successful the dying seconds to unafraid golden successful a thrilling final.

Earlier, France bushed Samoa 19-17 successful the Bronze last and Argentina unopen retired the US 36-0 successful the Plate final.

After an unbeaten grounds successful excavation play, Fiji bushed South Africa 12-7 successful a quarterfinal and Samoa 19-7 successful a bruising all-Pacific semifinal to scope the last for the seventh clip successful 8 editions of the oldest tourney successful the World Series.

Australia, meanwhile, won some its quarter-final and semi-final aft full-time, relying connected Maurice Longbottom for the winning people successful some matches.

Longbottom scored the match-winning effort aft the fulltime siren successful Australia’s 26-19 quarterfinal triumph implicit Ireland, past kicked a punishment successful extra-time to springiness Australia a thrilling 8-7 triumph implicit France successful its semifinal.

Fiji was awesome successful its semifinal triumph implicit previously-unbeaten Samoa but ended up falling conscionable abbreviated to an inspired Australia squad playing successful its archetypal Hong Kong last since 1994.

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