A RUTHLESS New Zealand reclaimed the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens title that the team last held in 2001 with a comprehensive 26-12 win over South Africa yesterday.

New Zealand has won all five rounds of the world series so far this year, going unbeaten in 42 matches and reaping the maximum 110 points on offer.

South Africa remained a distant second in the series on 72 points.

New Zealand’s performance, as it was in the 34-0 semifinal win over Fiji earlier, was masterful with coach Gordon Tietjens’ men playing at a level of fluency that has set a new benchmark in the series.

While Victor Vito was the star of the semifinal, it was Lote Raikabula who inspired New Zealand in the final, scoring two tries in the first half and setting another up for Zar Lawrence early in the second half.

New Zealand left South Africa clutching at shadows as the side rocketed home three converted tries for a 21-7 lead by halftime — Steven Yates scoring his eighth try of the tournament in between Raikabula’s.

South Africa’s score came off an opportunistic try to Mzandile Stick after an uncharacteristic error by Cama turned the ball over.

After Lawrence’s early score in the second half, New Zealand was content to hold off South Africa, which finally broke through in the dying seconds with a consolation try to Fabian Juries.

Tietjens said not winning the tournament since 2001 had been nagging the team for a while and to have finally done it was pretty special for the team.

China lost to South Korea 12-5 in a quarterfinal match yesterday but caused a huge upset Saturday, recovering from a first-match drubbing to shock Six Nations outfit Scotland.

China, crushed 47-0 in its first match Friday by Kenya, came from behind to win 19-12 Saturday. China coach Zheng Hongjun hailed the result as one of the best ever victories for his team, in their first outing of the year.

“I’m proud of the team because the older players haven’t practiced for long,” he said, adding that most of the team was made up of new faces.

(SD-Agencies)