Aussies show signs of sevens rugby resurgence after winning Plate
Green and gold full of new belief and appear to be closing gap on leading trio of South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand
The glory days of Australian sevens might be a distant memory for some and laughed off as pure myth by others but there were signs of life in the Green and Gold all weekend, and they lifted the Plate with a 21-17 victory over the United States.
Both teams played their part in some of the most entertaining games seen at Hong Kong Stadium and the Plate final ran true to form as both sides mixed up plenty of action and attrition.
The Americans led 12-7 at the half but a canny triple substitution by Australia coach Geraint John early in the second period ignited the Aussies - Shannon Walker crossing shortly after coming on. Cameron Clarke chimed in with a try and three conversions to give Australia breathing space, and even the flying Allan Fa'alava'au's late try was too little too late for the USA.
We just have to be a bit smarter in attack and a bit more creative. But we can work on that
John was quick to point to the healthy state of sevens rugby in Australia, a nation which last won the Hong Kong Sevens title in 1988, a time when Michael Keaton wasn't known as Birdman, he was known as Beetlejuice.
The Aussies came to Hong Kong in fourth place in the World Series standings and John believes the gap is closing on the leading trio of South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand.
"I thought we were pretty close [to those teams] this weekend," said John, whose team lost 14-5 to New Zealand in the group stages and 7-5 to South Africa in the Cup quarter-finals.
"I thought defensively the intensity was there. We just have to be a bit smarter in attack and a bit more creative. But we can work on that. I think those [top] teams won't want to play us next weekend [in Tokyo]."
"We haven't mentioned it [the Olympics] at all this weekend and that's the honest truth. Not even privately," said John. "We know it's going to go down to the last weekend. We're just trying to keep our focus and do what we need to do. I'd rather be where we are than six points behind us."
The chance to compete at the Olympics has helped bring sevens back into the focus of the powers that be in Australia - the country staged its first national men's seven championship this month - and John says the future is looking bright.
"It's going in the right direction," he said. "If we can keep these players and stop rugby league from getting them or Australian rules from getting them then the future is really great."
USA coach Mike Friday knows that feeling only too well as he tries to help rugby emerge from the shadow of American football.
That last score was not a true reflection of the Americans' dominance and showed their fighting spirit after they had given Samoa too many chances early on in their Cup quarter-final and were never able to catch up, losing 26-15 and being sent into the Plate for their sins.
"It's bittersweet really," said Friday. "We've come a long way in six or seven months and we're starting to play some great rugby. People are starting to warm to us and our opponents are starting to fear us. But we've also got to look at the harsh reality of sevens. There was the first few minutes against Samoa which just wasn't good enough and we paid the ultimate price."
USA's rise as a force has been remarkable over the past 12 months - the last time they came to Hong Kong they were playing under the treat of relegation from the World Series, so bad were their results and seemingly so far the gap between them and the top teams. No more.
"At this stage last year we were in a relegation fight," Friday said. "It's a credit to everyone involved. The players are loving it. It's a minority game in the USA but it's the fastest growing game."
