Hong Kong Sevens 2022: Fiji thrash Japan to start hunt for sixth straight crown; USA beat Spain
- Iowane Teba scores a hat-trick as the five-time defending champions run in nine tries in their opening pool C clash
- Injury-plagued American squad score dramatic late try to beat Spain 15-14
Fiji wiped the floor with Japan in their opening game of the 2022 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, winning 59-12 to top pool C, after the USA secured a dramatic win against Spain.
Ben Gollings’ world champions, who are targeting a sixth successive title here, went behind early on but quickly recovered to run in nine tries in a 59-12 win.
“It wasn’t the best way to get into it but it’s sevens,” Fiji head coach Ben Gollings said.
“I think the key is to just get the ball back and control the ball, and if we control the ball we can control the game. It’s good for us to handle that pressure and a bit of a learning curve.”
Taisei Hayashi had flipped the script with a quick-fire try for Japan in the first minute as a young and relatively inexperienced Fiji were caught cold.
Order was soon restored when Viwa Naducalo collected a pass at the halfway line and burst through to go in under the posts, and veteran Waisea Nacauqu added the extras.
