South Africa, New Zealand escape after shock sevens defeats

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Hosts South Africa and fellow favourites New Zealand were both handed shock defeats on the first day of the Cape Town leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series on Saturday but still managed to book a place in Sunday’s quarter-finals. South Africa lost 14-12 to Kenya in their second game of the day but secured a place in Sunday’s business end of the tournament when they beat England 10-0 in the last match of Saturday’s extensive programme of 16 group matches. It spared blushes for organisers after selling out the 55,000-capacity Cape Town Stadium for both days. “Nothing much worked out for us but hopefully the passes will stick tomorrow, the basic skills let us down,” said South Africa coach Neil Powell. Kenya progressed at the top of Pool B after they had also held England to a 19-19 draw earlier on Saturday. England, runners-up at the opening tournament of the new 2015-16 series in Dubai last weekend, are condemned to playing in the also-rans bowl competition on Sunday for the first time in two years. Injury-plagued New Zealand, who have never failed to make the quarter-final field, bounced back to beat Samoa 19-10 to finish top of Pool D despite earlier losing to 24-12 to Canada. They face Argentina on Sunday. Top ranked Fiji, winners in Dubai last week, looked impressive in scoring 129 points in their three wins in Pool A including a record 52-0 win over Russia which included eight tries. Australia were the only other side to win all three of their pool matches but only after the United States had misread the permutations.

The Americans played on when they should have kicked the ball out, allowing Australia to snatch 26-21 win after the hooter had sounded for the end of the game as both countries went through from Pool C.

(Editing by Rex Gowar)