Sevens

It's hot. The ground is hard - damn hard.

Rugby sevens has just about everything a fan with a busy life could want - speed, power, scoring, and it's over in about 20 minutes.

New Zealand rugby sevens player Declan O'Donnell today pleaded guilty to assaulting a bouncer, but denied assaulting and injuring a second man.

New Zealand bombed out of the Edinburgh Rugby Sevens today, beaten 19-12 by Australia in a semifinal match.

Missed tackles and fumbled ball didn't help New Zealand's cause in the first half and when Tomasi Cama was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle after four minutes, Australia was quick to pounce, with a try by Ed Jenkins.

New Zealand have won the world rugby sevens series for a ninth time despite being thrashed 42-19 by Fiji in the semifinals of the London tournament this morning.

New Zealand clinched the world rugby sevens title at Twickenham today, demolishing Argentina 31-14 in the quarter finals.

The New Zealand victory plus England's poor run in pool play yesterday and a 17-19 defeat again today by Kenya in the Bowl quarter-final meant

England could not bridge the points gap to New Zealand with only one more tournament left to play.

North Harbour winger David Raikuna is the only change to the New Zealand sevens squad for the final two legs of the world series in London and Edinburgh later this month.

It may look as though Otago has been somewhat blessed for the national Sevens competition this weekend, but coach Mike Moeahu is having none of it.

Otago loose forward Adam Thomson and outside back Ben Smith have been picked for the Commonwealth Games sevens team.

All Blacks rejects Adam Thomson and Zac Guildford as well as the in-form Hosea Gear have been included in a New Zealand sevens rugby 22-man trial squad for the Commonwealth Games.