SAMUARI CUT THROUGH RED ROCK TO CLAIM PARADISE 7S

Hyperion Paradise 7s, November 20: : The ULRSamurai invitation team, alias Auckland, came into the Gold Coast under a cloud of secrecy and left with the Hyperion Paradise 7s Cup championship and the $20,000 winners cheque.

The Aucklanders dominated the two-day tournament recording five wins and a draw from six games, winning today's final against colourful Fijian outfit, Matai Red Rock 47-21 - running in seven tries to three.

Samoan-born Tenina Sauileoge was named player of the tournament and along with team mates Rocky Khan, Malakai Fekitoa , Ben Lam and Lolagi Visiuia dominated Red Rock from the opening whistle.

The 23-year-old Sauileoge ran in four tries over the weekend, including crucial five-pointers in the 33-0 semi-final win over NewStar and another in the final.

The Fijians, despite a short-lived fight-back early in the second-half had no answers to the power, the skill and the determination of a team that made up the majority of the Auckland team that won the New Zealand 7s Championship in Queenstown in September.

Samurai showed they meant business in the semi-final and there was no stopping star five-eighth and captain Khan and his all-star team, who ran in  five tries to secure there place in the final.

The second heart-stopping semi-final saw the never-say-die Fijian Matai Red Rock combination oust the Aussie Thunderbolts 20-15 in extra time after the scores were locked at 15-all at full-time.

PEARLS STRETCH UNBEATEN RECORD TO 16

While the Aussie Thunderbolts were bundled out in a heart-stopping extra-time semi-final against Red Rock, their women's counterparts, the Aussie Pearls won the Women's Cup final to continue their extraordinary recent record.

The Pearls defeated 2009 winners Eastsyde 20-0 in a spirited final and not only finished the Paradise tournament unbeaten after six games (scoring 218 points) they again kept their opponents to nil for the third successive tournament.

The Pearls, who will form the majority of the Australian team for the Dubai World Series in two weeks, have kept up an impressive 16 game winning streak without having a point scored against them.

They ran in four tries to nil with Alexandra Hargraves producing another outstanding display of crunching defence and backed up to score a deserved try under the posts.

Pearls coach Chris Lane had pin-pointed the team's defence in their week-long Casuarina training camp last week and it told in their impressive two-day tournament on the Gold Coast.

"I couldn't be happier with the way the girls applied themselves in training and in game day preparation and to maintain that defensive record is certainly something to be proud of," said Lane.

"It is the perfect lead in for Dubai and the confidence building and team spirit has been great - bring on Dubai."

In the East Coast Challenge Cup final the enthusiastic Brisbane Fijians defeated Surfers Paradise 12-10, while the Plate final saw the Helensvale Hogs defeat Bond Pirates 28-5.

The women's Plate final went to Sydney 17-0 over Cook Islands, with Lakeisha Tipene leading the way with two of the three tries and a conversion.

Hyperion Paradise Rugby 7's: Cararra Sports Complex: Gold Coast: Sunday November 20:

MEN 

Cup

Quarter Final:

Aussie Thunderbolts 21 (B Meakes 2, A Fallavea tries, Hamish Angus 3 con) d Hong Kong Dragons 14 (R Varty, K Robertson tries, K Robertson 2 con)

Matai Red Rock 14 (I Tuiniakoro, N Sikey tries, I Dauniasauty 2 con) d Daveta 10 M Garland, P Natviisata tries)

Newstar Sports 35 ( M Wei, T Linde 2, J Ambossini, J Lalasaves tries, J Milne 4 con) d Hamilton Old Boys 19 (R Williams, M Kenny, T Lobenahn tries, K Adams 2 con)                                                

ULR Samurai 41 (L Visiuia 2, M Fekitoa, C Bourke, R Khan 2, J Guthrie tries, L Visiuia 3 con) d Warwick Bombers 0

Semi Final: Matai Red Rock 20 ( S Matlewena, J Vota, R Qoro 2 tries) d Aussie Thunderbolts 15 (B Meakes, H Angus tries, H Angus con, pen)

ULR Samurai 33 (B Lam 2, T Sauileoge, R Khan, A Silipa tries, L Visiuia, R Khan 3 con) d Newstar Sports 0

Final: ULR Samurai 47 (J Tupe, L Visiuia, B Lam, M Fekitoa 2, T Sauileoge, R Khan tries, L Visiuia 3, R Khan 3 con) d Matai Red Rock 21 (S Volivolitue, J Vota, A Tanoia tries, A Niaikoro, A Tanoia 2 con)      

Plate:
Quarter Final: Drifters 24 (A Vasuitosa, H Seavula, J Vosuga 2 tries, Hyperion Breakers 14 (P Hunt, S Bartley tries, C Matnhera, P Hunt con)

NT Mosquitoes 12 (V Naivalu, S Waulhope tries, S Kaufereoi con) d Island Breeze 7 (R Val eacoa tries, P Vereakuta con)

PNG Barbarians 26 (C Kakah, E Tokauai, H Liliket, G Varo tries, E Tokauai 3 con) d Sunnybank 17 Samu, P Lee, A Gavegan tries H Jones con)

QLD Country Heelers 17 (C Blair, L Fesolai, B Mitchell tries, M Langmack con) d Country King Browns 14 R O'Connell, G Dodge tries, C Holland 2 con)

Semi Final: NT Mosquitoes  17 R Butcher, V Naivalu, S Koufereoi tries, S Koufereoi con) d QLD Country Heelers 14 (M Langmack, J Sykes tries, M Langmack, B Mitchell con)

Drifters 17 (T Naivavora 2, D Rofolati tries, H Seavula con) d PNG Barbarians 12 (R Tokauai, J Missian tries, R Tokauai con)

Final: Drifters 34 (T Naivavora 3, A Vasuitosa, D Rofolati, L Cama tries, L Cama, H Seavula con) d NT Mosquitoes 12 S Kobar, S Koufereoi tries, S Koufereoi con)

WOMEN

Cup

Quarter Final: Aussie Pearls 49 (S Parry2, S Williams, D Hadgikinson, R Tavo, E Cherry, K Giteau tries, S Williams 2, I Batibasaga, C Morgan 4 con) d Mt Erica 0

Nerang 17 (A Stone 2, N Hake tries, N Hake con) d Arongatahi 12 (M Davis, A Leapepe tries, C Leaupepe con)

Eastsyde 21 (A Gilbert, L Gould 2 tries, L Gould 3 con) d Sunnybank 7 ( M Schuck tries, T Harden con)

Tonga 7 (P Lave tries, P Losanine con) d Kusa 5 (O Bird tries)

Semi Final: Aussie Pearls 51 (A Hargreaves, B Delacruz 2, E Cherry 2, K Giteau 4 tries, B Delacruz 3 con) d Nerang 0

Eastsyde 24 (A Gilbert, T Cope, T Tupuhi, L Gould tries, L Gould 3 con) d Tonga 0

Final: Aussie Pearls 20 ( A Hargreaves, E Cherry, K Giteau 2 tries) d Eastsyde 0

Plate 

Semi Final: Sydney 27 (C Illsey 2, L Tipene, A Kaiwai, N Green tries, A Kaiwai con) d Murri Magic 5 (E Lawaniyasana tries)

Final: Sydney 17 (M Bailley, L Tipene 2 tries, L Tipene con) d Cook Islands 0

East Coast Challenge:

Men:

Cup Final: *Brisbane Fiji 12 d Surfers Paradise RC 10

Plate Final: Helensvale Hogs 28 (G Williams 2, R Wesche, J Hepi tries, H McCaa 4 con) Bond Pirates 5 (N Black tries)

*scorers unavailable