REIGNING world champions Fiji have won the final of the International Rugby Sevens Adelaide against Samoa 21-7 in front of 13,947 fans at Adelaide Oval this evening.

The tournament victory gives Fiji a 10-point lead in the overall iRB Sevens World Series standings with only two tournaments remaining.

The final was only three minutes old when the Samoans drew first blood with Apelu Fa’aiuga scooting over in the third minute. Lolo Lui converted for a 7-0 lead.

The Fijians, fearing a potential Samoan onslaught, stepped up their attack and were finally rewarded on the brink of half-time when Setefano Cakau burst through the opposition defence to score. Waisale Serevi, as composed as ever, slotted the conversion for a 7-all half time score.

The second half saw both teams probe the other for the vital breakthrough and it was the Samoans who broke first, with Mosese Volavola sending the Fijian supporters into raptures when he dived over with only three minutes remaining.

Player of the Tournament William Ryder then scored the match winner when he stepped through the smallest of holes in the Samoan defence to record the Fijians third try.

Samoa progressed to the final courtesy of a 31-0 mauling of tournament surprise-packets Kenya. Mikaele Pesamino continued his rich vein of form with another two tries, taking his tournament tally to nine.

Fiji had it much tougher against an impressive New Zealand outfit and it took a piece of Ryder magic, for the second consecutive match, for the Fijians to win 24-17. Down 10-5 at half-time the Fijians found another gear in the second stanza to run in three tries, including the all-important match winner from Ryder on full time, much to the delight of the sizeable Fijian support.

In the Plate competition, Australia overcame their quarter-final loss with a stirring 26-21 victory over old rivals England.

After England’s Danny Care open the scoring with a fortuitous try, the Aussies answered the hopes of an expectant crowd with a three-try blitz in only three minutes. Ant Sauer, Shawn Mackay and a barnstorming effort by James Lew gave the Aussies a dominant 21-7 half-time lead.

England responded positively after the break through an Isoa Damu try but Ant Sauer’s second try soon after put the game out of England’s reach.

South Africa outclassed Scotland 40-5 with a double to Gcobani Bobo and further tries to Howard Noble, Mpho Mbiyozo, Tobela Mdaka and Marius Schoeman.

The Plate Final saw Australia produced their best performance of the season in their 31-0 demolition of the South Africans.

An Ant Sauer try for Australia was all that separated the teams at half-time, but Australian coach Glen Ella’s half-time address saw the Aussies come out firing with three converted tries, to Sauer, Ben Lucas and captain Tim Atkinson, in three minutes bringing the Aussie supporters to their feet.

Sauer provided the finishing touch to a great performance when he fended off the South African defence to dive over in the corner for a deserved hat-trick.

In the earlier finals, Wales won their eighth consecutive final in eight appearances when they overcame a talented Tonga, 26-14, while Canada claimed their first trophy since the USA Sevens in 2005 when they out-classed Japan, 43-17 to win the Shield.

Plate Semi-Finals results

(Match 37) Australia 26 (Anthony Sauer 2, James Lew, Shawn MacKay tries; Ben Lucas 3 cons) defeated England 21 (Danny Care 2, Isoa Damu tries; Simon Amor 3 cons).

(Match 38) South Africa 40 (Gcobani Bobo 2, Howard Noble, Mpho Mbiyozo, Tobela Mdaka, Marius Schoeman tries; Mzwandile Stick, Stefan Basson 4 cons) defeated Scotland 5 (Mike Adamson try).

Cup Semi-Finals results

(Match 39) Samoa 31 (Mikaele Pesamino 2, Lolo Lui, Mikaele Senio, Apelu Fa’aiuga tries; Lui 3 cons) defeated Kenya 0.

(Match 40) Fiji 24 (Emosi Vucago 2, William Ryder, Mosese Volavola tries; Nasoni Roko, Ryder cons) defeated New Zealand 17 (Steven Yates 2, Afeleke Pelenise tries; Tomasi Cama con).

Shield Final

(Match 41) Canada 43 (Akio Tyler 2, Dave Moonlight 2, Neil Meechan, Ben Grant, Philip Mack tries; Mack 4 cons) defeated Japan 17 (Takashi Suzuki, Eiji Yamamoto, Shinji Nakazono tries; Yuuke Kobuki con).

Bowl Final

(Match 42) Wales 26 (Jamie Roberts 2, Lee Williams, Jonathan Edwards tries) defeated Tonga 14 (Vungakoto Lilo 2 tries; Tevita Tu’ifua 2 cons).

Plate Final

(Match 43) Australia 31 (Ant Sauer 3, Ben Lucas, Tim Atkinson tries; Lucas 3 cons) defeated South Africa 0.

Cup Final

(Match 44) Fiji 21 (William Ryder, Mosese Volavola, Setefano Cakau tries; Waisale Serevi 2, Ryder cons) defeated Samoa 7 (Apelu Fa’aiuga try; Lolo Lui con).

Player of the Tournament: William Ryder (Fiji)