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Fiji squeak into sevens quarter-finals

Waisale Serevi converted his own last-gasp try for Fiji to pip France 21-19 and avoid missing the quarter-finals for the first time in sevens world series history at the London tournament on Saturday.

Fiji, the series leader and seeking to retain the championship with one more tournament left, opened its pool at Twickenham by drawing Argentina 19-19 then smashing Russia 62-0.

Fiji was to play Australia in yesterday's quarter-finals after a first day in which its closest rivals, Samoa and New Zealand, were the most impressive, and England failed to make the last eight.

Samoa comfortably handled Canada 34-5, Georgia 43-5 and Australia 17-7 to top Pool B. Australia was runner-up. Samoa meets Argentina in the quarters.

New Zealand dispatched Kenya, Italy and Scotland, scoring 134 points and conceding only seven in Pool C to set up a quarterfinal with South Africa.

Scotland will meet surprising Wales, which won Pool D on points difference from South Africa.

Wales lost to South Africa 24-14 but hammered England 22-0 in a bad-tempered match in which both sides had a player sinbinned, then edged Portugal 15-14 with a last-second try by James Merriman.

In its final match, England needed to beat South Africa by 16 points, but could manage only a 17-14 win.
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