A win against Samoa Sevens in their final Pool match is Wales Sevens’ only hope now for a place in the top eight.
Kenya Sevens had shown in their first round match that they were back to form by running Samoa Sevens close in a 24-19 thriller. Against Wales Sevens, the Kenyans looked to have met their match when they trailed 7-0 at half time after Ospreys Martin Roberts had scored a try and conversion.
Richie Pugh then extended Wales Sevens’ lead with an unconverted try in the corner but thereafter it was all Kenya Sevens as the East Africans found their rhythm first with a try and conversion by paceman Peter Ochilla and then a second score by Denis Mwanga.
Crucially the second try was converted and in the end that was the difference between the two sides. In the other second round match in Pool C Samoa Sevens eased past the USA Sevens 29-0 to go top.
Wales Sevens had made an encouraging start on the first day with an opening tie win over USA Sevens by 22-7. USA Sevens fielding several of the Rugby World Cup 2007 side kept a tight rein on the lively Wales Sevens side but in the end, the Eagles were unable to stop the men in red running in the tries.
Wales Sevens, however, had to work hard in the first half and were level at the interval with the scoreline at 7-7 after USA cap Chris Wyles had replied to an earlier try by Dragons centre Gareth Chapman, converted by Ospreys’ Martin Roberts.
Then in the second half Wales Sevens made the pressure tell with two tries from Scarlets’ Lee Williams and a final effort from replacement Nick Wakely, the Dragons centre to finish comfortable winners.Â
Wales Sevens Squad: Jonathan Edwards (Scarlets, captain), Richie Pugh (Unattached), James Merriman (Neath), Nick Wakeley (Newport), James Harris (Dragons), Lee Williams (Scarlets), Martin Roberts (Ospreys), Gareth Owen (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Gareth Chapman (Dragons), Aled Brew (Ospreys), James Lewis (Ebbw Vale)
