New Zealand open Sevens season with win over Samoa
New Zealand claim Dubai Sevens
Scrum.com
December 5, 2009
New Zealand celebrate victory at the Dubai Sevens, IRB Sevens World Series, The Sevens, Dubai, December 5, 2009
New Zealand celebrate returning to winning ways at the season-opening Dubai Sevens © Getty Images
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New Zealand claimed the first IRB Sevens World Series event of the new season with a 24-12 win over Samoa in Dubai.

The win gives New Zealand their first World Series victory in 18 months and sees them take an early lead at the top of the Series table on 24 points, with Samoa taking 20 and semi-finalists England and Fiji collecting 16 a piece.

Samoa gave it all they had in an even final, but they came up just short as the Kiwis punished every error with clinical finishing with DJ Forbes, Zar Lawrence, Lote Raikabula and Tomasi Cama to the fore of everything they did well.

Cama opened the scoring with a try before Forbes added a second before the break. Tries from Reupena Levasa and Mikaele Pesamino threatened to bring the Islanders back into it, but tries from Kurt Baker and Cama sealed the win.

In front of 40,000 spectators at Dubai's Sevens stadium, New Zealand had earlier beaten rivals Fiji in a 19-0 blitz, while Samoa started brilliantly against England before holding on to claim a final berth as the English came back strongly, eventually losing 28-19.

New Zealand had earlier squeezed past Kenya who gave the champions their toughest test, while England had needed sudden death to overcome Argentina's challenge and Samoa had seen off Australia thanks to a touchline conversion from Lolo Lui.

Australia's youngsters went on to beat South Africa 7-0 in the Plate final, while Wales turned in a mature performance to hammer Zimbabwe 38-7 in the Bowl and Russia overcame Portugal 17-14 in a tightly contested Shield.

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