Cook-Savage takes accolade

• Published date: 11 April 2024
• Publication title: Northland Age, The

The All Blacks men’s and women’s teams were crowned winners of the latest round of the competition, in Hong Kong at the weekend, and Cook-Savage, who scored a crucial try in the semifinal against Australia, was named player of the tournament

The All Blacks Sevens won the Hong Kong Sevens for the 14th time, securing their 68th sevens victory in 110 finals.

Grit, composure, and discipline on defence were the key ingredients in the 10-7 victory over France.

The first half was a stalemate with neither team coming even close to scoring.

New Zealand’s courage was best exemplified by Scott Curry. The captain tumbled awkwardly in a first-half tackle and was visibly hobbling. But he scored the first try in the 10th minute after a succession of penalties saw an overlap on the left wing. Andrew Knewstubb, a titan in the tackle, delivered the last pass.

The All Blacks’ defence neutralised France by employing chop tackles followed by fierce counter rucks. Attacking the ball and holding players up with multiple bodies was another method that stifled a French side rapidly improving ahead of the Paris Olympics in July.

Panic would ultimately be the downfall of the French. With two minutes remaining an unsighted pass was thrown straight to Cody Vai who gleefully accepted to score. Varian Pasquet scored with the last play for France but he wasn’t quick enough to warn the referee he didn’t want a conversion to be taken. There was still a second on the clock which could have resulted in a restart.

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