HONG KONG: Australia’s men are teetering on the brink of elimination following a lacklustre 21-12 defeat against their fierce rivals, New Zealand, on Friday.
Amanaki Nicole crossed the line twice in the first half, and Sofai Maka added another, putting the Kiwis ahead 21-0 at one stage during the opening day of the revamped Hong Kong Sevens.
Australia fought back with tries from Aden Ekanayake and Jayden Blake as the New Zealand squad began to falter, allowing the underdogs to re-enter the match.
However, Liam Barry’s team failed to take full advantage of that chance, with a crucial showdown against South Africa looming at 11:39pm on Friday (AEDT).
“It’s really disappointing,” coach Barry shared with Wide World of Sports while at the lively Kai Tak Stadium.
“We handed them three tries, simply due to pressure, and we struggled to hold onto the ball for five minutes in the first half. It’s quite straightforward.”
Fans capture a moment during the Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium. Getty
“When we did manage to get possession, we looked promising. We squandered our chances towards the end.”
Australia arrived at the tournament positioned sixth, while New Zealand was in seventh.
“We know we need to put in a serious effort,” said Barry, a former All Blacks loose forward.
“We have to hustle and give our all to score. They excel in that area, but it requires precision and intensity. At times, we fell short on accuracy.”
Sam Worthington travelled to the Hong Kong Sevens thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cathay Pacific and The Langham
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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