Dietrich Roache, Yool Yool, Josh Turner, Henry Paterson, Solomone Vosaicake win Rugby Sevens World Series silver
Just a week after a host of NSW players made their World Series debut, the speedsters have raced off with a Rugby Sevens medal in Dubai. GREAT PHOTOS
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It was so close but in the end an Australian team laden with new faces and young legs fell just short of ending South Africa’s extraordinary winning streak of 24 consecutive wins across four back-to-back events in Dubai on the weekend.
The Blitzboks came from behind to rip the victory from Australia;'s hands, downing the new-look Australian side 10-7 in the final of the World Series event in Dubai.
Earlier Australia had won the women's title for the second time in a week.
NSW young guns Corey Toole scored and Dietrich Roache converted to give Australia an early lead in the match.
But a second half, unconverted try from man of the final JC Pretorius saw the South Africans become the first team to win three successive Dubai titles since New Zealand in 2002.
“Australia really took us the wire, it was a brilliant match,” said captain Siviwe Soyizwapi said after the match.
In the men’s semi-finals, Australia beat Argentina 40-0 with Corey Toole, Henry Paterson, Josh Turner (2), Dietrich Roache and Billy Meakes all crossing for tries.
TWO BLUES SPEEDSTER DIETRICH ROACHE MAKES IMPRESSION IN WORLD SERIES DEBUT
NOVEMBER: Merryland's speedster Dietrich Roache has made a big impression in his first Rugby Sevens World Series event, finishing second on both the points scored and performance tracker lists at the Duba event on the weekend.
While the new-look Australian women’s team went through the competition undefeated, Roache and his teammates were smashed 29-5 in the quarter-finals by South Africa who went on to beat the US 42-7 for the Dubai men’s crown.
But Roache, who only started playing the game after watching the Sydney Sevens back in 2018, managed to turn plenty of heads.
He scored the second most points at the event (51) behind South African winner Ronald Brown (63).
Wagga rugby young gun Corey Toole was in 13th place on 20 with Queenscliff gun Josh Turner in 17th, also on 20. Sydney’s Henry Hutchison was 24th and 15 points
Ireland’s Terry Kennedy scored 10 tries to top that list with Roache contributing five for his fourth place on the Dubai event ladder.
Teammate Toole and Turner scored four tries each and Hutchison three.
Roache also finished third on the impact player table which measures offloads, carries, line breaks and tackles.
Kennedy finish top of this category on 64 and ahead of Fijian Joseva Talacolo on 59.
Roaches ended the tournament on 58 after six tackles, six breaks six offloads and 22 carries.
Hutchison was the only other Aussie on this list in 10th place with 12 tackles, two breaks two offloads and 22 carries.
SEVENS HEAVEN FOR REFUGE YOOL YOOL AND RICKY STUART’S SON
Manly Marlins player Yule Yool didn’t make a lot of rep teams growing up but that hasn’t stopped the 23-year-old about to make a special Australian debut.
Less than a year after receiving a call to attend a camp to help prepare Australian sevens players for the Tokyo Olympics, the 23-year-old is preparing to pull on the green and gold at the World Series in Dubai.
When he runs on he will write his name in the sporting annals as the first Sudanese refugee to play rugby for Australia.
Yule, born in the Sudan before moving to Egypt at age two and then Australia at four, is currently based on the northern beaches studying property at the international school of management.
But he spent time growing up in various locations, including Seven Hills, Orange and Bathurst where he went to school.
“I first started playing rugby at school and then organised rugby when I was about 12,” Yule said.
“I played league at school as well but never for a club.
“I just always preferred union but I didn’t make a central west rep teams for a couple of years. That came when I was a bit older.”
Joining Yule as a world series debutante will be a fellow NSW rugby players Dietrich Roach, Henry Paterson, from Easts rugby, Randwick's Kristan Jensen, former school star Ben Dowling and Solomone Vosaicake from the Western Sydney Two Blues.
Also due to debut in a World Series are Brumbies Academy players Corey Toole and Jed Stuart, the son of rugby league legend and Raiders coach Ricky.
Roache, who plays for the Western Sydney Two Blues, played at the Olympic Games after a shock selection for the speedster who fell in love with the game just three years ago while watching a world sevens event in Sydney.
The young guns of the sport will be joined in Dubai by World Series veterans Nic Malouff, Henry Hutchison, Maurice Longbottom and Josh Turner.
Australia will play Canada, France and Olympic champions Fiji on the opening day of the tournament which kicks off on Friday.
AUSTRALIAN MEN’S SEVENS TEAM FOR DUBAI WORLD SERIES
Henry Hutchison, 33 caps, Solomone Vosaicake*, Kristian Jensen*, Dietrich Roache*, Yool Yool*, Henry Paterson*, Joshua Turner, 6 caps, Ben Dowling*, Billy Meakes, 2 caps, Nicholas Malouf, 40 caps, Maurice Longbottom, 20 caps, Jed Stuart*, Corey Toole*
*denotes uncapped Sevens World Series player
YOUTH GANG: Aussie Sevens women win in Dubai
Read more from AMANDA LULHAM HERE
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Originally published as Dietrich Roache, Yool Yool, Josh Turner, Henry Paterson, Solomone Vosaicake win Rugby Sevens World Series silver
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