2 Dec 2012

No joy in Dubai for NZ men

6:39 am on 2 December 2012

The All Blacks Sevens have been beaten by Samoa in the men's final at the Dubai tournament, going down 26-15.

New Zealand go top of the overall table however after two rounds of the IRB World Series.

Samoa led early on with two unconverted tries before debutant Ben Lam crossed for the

But Samoa scored the next try through Lio Lolo and this time it was converted.

But captain DJ Forbes nabbed the All Blacks Sevens' second try to cut the half-time deficit to 19-10 before Kurt Baker made it 19-15.

Tulolo Tulolo replied for Samoa and that was the end of the scoring.

Earlier the New Zealanders ended Portugal's giant-killing run with a 28-7 thumping in the Cup quarter-finals, then did the same to Kenya in the semis, winning 27-7.

The New Zealand women's sevens team won the inaugural IRB World Series title in Dubai, thrashing South Africa 41-0 in the final.