Sevens joy for Samoa in Edinburgh

Samoa are the Sevens World Series champions for the first time

Samoa clinched their first ever IRB Sevens World Series title in style, winning the final event at Murrayfield.

The Samoans needed a sudden-death penalty in the 13th minute of extra time to beat England before sweeping Australia aside 41-14 in the final.

Australia accounted for series runners-up New Zealand in their semi-final.

England beat Scotland 19-7 in the quarter-finals but the hosts hit back to beat South Africa and Argentina as they won the Plate tournament.

It capped a great weekend for the Scots, who topped their pool on Saturday with wins over Fiji, USA and Wales, scoring five tries in each victory.

Samoa secured the points they needed to win the series after an incredibly tense semi-final with England.

With the game poised at 12-12 after the hooter had sounded, England's Ben Gollings hit the post with his conversion attempt sending the game into a gruelling period of extra-time.

The tie was eventually settled when Lolo Lui converted a drop goal penalty 13 minutes into the time added on.

"Couldn't get any better could it," said Samoan coach Stephen Betham. "I think my heart almost stopped ten times and I think I have grown another 20 grey hairs but that is sevens for you.

"I think the Samoans will be partying back home now and will be partying until we get home."

New Zealand needed Samoa to falter in the semi-finals and win the tournament to add to their total of eight successes from the previous 10 sevens world series.

Scotland won the Plate tournament at Murrayfield

In any case, the All Blacks lost out to Australia, who finished third in the standings, 24-19 in the last four.

However, the Wallabies had no answer to the power and pace of Samoa in the final as the South Pacific islanders ran in seven tries to cap a wonderful campaign.

Samoa featured in six of the eight finals, winning the events in Las Vegas, Adelaide and Hong Kong as well as Edinburgh.

Scotland beefed up their squad for the final legs in London and at home and the Murrayfield crowd enjoyed a rousing display from Stephen Gemmell's side.

"It was an outstanding effort from everyone in the team," enthused Gemmell, who is stepping down from his role as head coach.

"It's been a privilege to coach these players and I told them to take the excitement from this weekend and use it in their XVs careers."

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