Fiji-born playmaker Akuila Rokolisoa starred in New Zealand’s impressive 47-0 win over Hong Kong China in their opening Pool A match of the Singapore 7s at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Just 18 seconds into the match, New Zealand took advantage of an unsettled Hong Kong China with a set piece play from Regan Ware and Dylan Colliar allowing Moses Leo to strike first and Rokolisoa converted for a 7-0 lead.
A scrum fed by Rush saw Rokolisa snap the ball away and run under the post to score and he converted.
Liam Herbert tried to bring China into the game but he lost the ball forward during a Rhodes Featherstone tackle.
Minutes before the break, Leo broke off from a China tackle and dummied his way to score his second try which Rokolisoa converted for a 21-0 lead at the breather.
Coming off the bench, Tapaea Cook-Savage and Leroy Carter further increased New Zealand’s lead with back-to-back tries but Tapaea converted once only.
With just two minutes remaining, China could have gone up on the scoreboard through Bryn Philips but he held the ball late which gave New Zealand a penalty that was taken away by Fehi Fineanganofo and Rokolisoa converted for a 40-0 lead.
Despite the full-time hooter sound, New Zealand kept pushing hard and Carter scored the final try as Savage converted to seal the win.
Meanwhile, fullback Sione Molia played his 50th game for the All Blacks 7s.
In other matches, Argentina overcame Ireland 10-0, Great Britain narrowly defeated Japan 19-17 and Australia beat South Africa 19-0.
