Commonwealth Games: Sevens specialists show the way to gold

In the end, it was the men who coach Gordon Tietjens knows best that carried New Zealand to their most exhilarating Commonwealth Games rugby sevens title.

A breathless fightback from New Zealand overhauled a 10-point Australian lead as they powered home 24-17 to win the tightest of the four gold medal finals coach Tietjens has overseen.

The final's decisive moment was a masterful double change from Tietjens, replacing Hosea Gear and Liam Messam with two players who have made their names away from bright lights of the All Blacks and Super rugby -- Sherwin Stowers and Tim Mikkelson.

Entering the game with their team trailing 7-17, the two sevens specialists sparked a three-try burst which broke the hearts of an Australian side who were poised to inflict the only loss on New Zealand dating back to the first games sevens tournament in 1998.

Mikkelson's introduction was "a huge gamble" admitted Tietjens, as the Waikato winger was still carrying a calf injury from pool play.

The Waikato winger responded in style but it was the impact of Stowers that was most compelling.

The Counties Manukau flyer scored with his first touch -- his tournament-high sixth -- and with New Zealand leading by just two points set up their fourth and final try via a sizzling outside break 80m from the tryline which left Wallabies winger Lachie Turner grasping.

The outstanding Kurt Baker scored it and lifted the pocket-rocket frame of Stowers in a bear hug before the rest of the New Zealanders surrounded them moments before the hooter sounded

Tietjens hadn't used Stowers in the 31-10 quarterfinal defeat of Wales nor the 33-12 semifinal crushing of England but he was always in his thoughts for the final.

"I knew we could get back. I looked at Australia and they looked really tired at times," Teitjens said.

"I knew we had done a lot of hard work and that I had a really strong bench that could do something.

"That try to Sherwin Stowers near the end, under the posts, gave us that real hope.... then Sherwin gave us the break that we needed, Baker in support. Those guys have trained the house down."

An early try to Lote Raikabula was trumped by three consecutive scores to Australians Turner, James Stannard and Luke Morahan.

Stannard gave the New Zealanders problems with his stepping and a head-high tackle on him resulted in Messam spending two minutes in the sinbin before halftime.

However, just as the Wallabies have floundered late against the All Blacks in recent test matches, the Australians were fading just as Tietjens introduced the cavalry.

The two Stowers-inspired tries sandwiched an excellent team surge which sent captain DJ Forbes over for the lead.

Stowers said he was fizzing to get on after sitting out most of day two.

"I was gutted not to get on in the quarters and semis," he told NZPA.

"Every time he (Tietjens) was looking I tried to get into his face, give him a hint.

"This will probably be my last tournament. I wanted to go out on a bang and this is going out on a bang."

Stowers, who has signed to play Super 15 for the Blues next year, said his gold medal would always be cherished.

"It (Commonwealth Games) is something I watched as a kid and to get this is up there with the best moments in my life."

He joined in two shirtless haka led by Hosea Gear, kickstarting an evening of celebrations which would be cut short by their flight home to New Zealand, departing in the small hours of the morning.