Sevens: Quade helps Thunderbolts strike

Australia have set up a blockbuster sevens semi-final against South Africa in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 05: Quade Cooper (2nd L) of Australia runs for the ball against England during the USA Sevens Rugby tournament at Sam Boyd Stadium on March 5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Australia’s men’s sevens team has set up a blockbuster sevens semi-final against South Africa as they continued their undefeated run in Las Vegas.

After winning 26-12 in the cup quarter-final over Argentina yesterday, the Thunderbolts will now face their biggest challenge yet in the shape of the Blitzboks in this morning’s (AEDT) semi-finals.

South Africa booked their spot in the final four by knocking New Zealand out of the tournament with a 14-7 win, the pacy Seabelo Senatla scoring both of their tries.

“We had a good win against them in Sydney so we know we can get one over on them but we’ll need to do everything right,” coach Andy Friend said.

“We’ll have to aim up physic­ally, but there’s also the technical side too — the ball carrying, being strong over the ball. We’re all excited by the challenge ahead.”

Quade Cooper, who scored his first sevens try earlier on day two of the tournament, continued his crash course in the shortened form of the game with some flashy stuff in attack but he made some defensive errors against Argentina.

Cooper helped set up Australia’s first two tries to skipper Ed Jenkins and Sam Myers, the latter who went on to score the clincher in the dying moments.

The semi-final begins at 8.12am this morning, with world champions Fiji taking on the US in the other semi.

Meanwhile, Sonny Bill Will­iams has been ruled out of the next world series tournament in Canada because of a knee injury and is returning to New Zealand.

All Blacks Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens says the injury that Williams has been carrying has flared up and he won’t be risked in Vancouver next weekend.

The 33-Test All Black and two-time World Cup winner was rested from this weekend’s Las Vegas tournament, in which New Zealand were relegated to the plate competition.

“He’s got a little bit of an irritable knee,” Tietjens said. “It sometimes swells up with a little bit of fluid.”

Tietjens said the 30-year-old Williams had had the knee drained and it was fine during the week. “But just after training yesterday, it just wasn’t as good as we would have liked and it swelled up again this morning,” he said.

As with Las Vegas, the Vancouver tournament will be on artificial turf, which Tietjens said would have worked against Williams.

“We therefore thought it was best he return home and get the right treatment and support he needs to speed his recovery.”

Tietjens said Williams would be available for selection for the next two stops on the sevens circuit — Singapore and Hong Kong in April.

Bay of Plenty’s Teddy Stanaway, who made his All Blacks sevens debut in Cape Town in December, has been called in as replacement for Vancouver.

AAP