Latest reaction from around the teams at the penultimate event of the 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series, the Emirates Airline London Sevens at Twickenham.
Day two reaction
James Stannard, Australia captain
On how special the Cup win is:
"It is very special, very emotional at the same time. We have worked so hard as a group over the last year, everyone that has come in, it has just paid off today."
On what has changed in the Australian camp:
"I think we always had it, we just hadn't fine-tuned some things. We worked really hard in the last camp and bashed ourselves and it's payed off this week."
On how difficult the final was:
"It was really tough. The 10 minute halves, none of us have ever done that, even new guys in our team who haven't played Sevens before and South Africa played really well."
On his title saving tackle:
"I didn't even realise how close it was to the end, I thought we had five minutes left. I just had to make it and that sort of thing happens."
On holding the Cup aloft:
"It is something special. It is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me and the team in a long time, so very special."
On not winning a Cup in eight years:
"We have talked about it all year. We won the Plate in Dubai and the next step up is getting that Cup. We have come close a couple of times with Samoa edging us out but I guess we have to get back into our recovery, get over to Scotland and really do Australia proud again."
On the crowd at Twickenham:
"I came here last year and it is pretty special. They always get a great crowd here and they are very vocal. The booing makes us want to play better so we don't mind it at all."
Paul Treu, South Africa coach
On being in a Cup final for the first time this year:
"I think there are a lot of things that we can take out of this tournament. I was very pleased with the performance of the experienced players like Mzwandile Stick and Fabian Juries who came back after two years. But unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. Australia have been the in-form young team this entire season. They have been playing like this for the last two years and all credit to them, they really played well in the final."
On his opposite coach Michael O'Connor turning Australia's form around:
"I could see it from two years ago and I always said it and maintained it. With Michael they are going to grow as a team and they will be the team to beat going forward. They just need a bit more time to be consistent but I promise you that will come."
On his own side needing time and consistence:
"We are going to get a few more youngsters into the set up. Unfortunately we had a lot of set backs this season with injuries and losing players to Super 14 but that is the nature of the game, you have to adapt. There are a lot of positives, first time we have played in the semi and final of the Cup and hopefully we can give it another go next week and take our opportunities."
On Fabian Juries:
"(He helps) to keep the guys calm at the warm up, in the changing room and on the field. Just to take control of the game because sometimes the young and new guys tend to play the game at 100mph. That is what he and Neil, Sticky and even Renfred Dazel brought to the team just to keep the guys level headed and just control the pace of it."
Gordon Tietjens, New Zealand head coach
On the importance of the last minute try to secure victory against Fiji:
"It was huge because we can go to Scotland with a real chance to win the World Series. We are probably lucky in some ways with South Africa doing us a favour beating Samoa. So there are seven points difference and we are going to possibly clash as early as the quarter finals at Murrayfield perhaps but yeah it is going to be close."
On being able to take momentum into Edinburgh:
"Two wins, one at the death against England and one here with Fiji. That is what Sevens is all about, it is not over until the final whistle. We took those opportunities, you have to be composed and there is a lot of pressure in the last play of the game, but to score those points as we did was a great confidence booster going into next week."
On losing to Samoa for the sixth time this season:
"I don't like the word voodoo, I think we are good enough if we play well enough, but we didn't play well enough today. We made two crucial errors, one was an intercept try, and we missed a crucial line out when we were leading the game. A team like that will punish you and they did that today."
On the atmosphere at Twickenham:
"It is great. I think it is growing every year, it is getting better and better. I think next year will be bigger and brighter and I think you are going to find that in nearly all the tournaments in the World Series now."
Kurt Baker, New Zealand
On the importance of the victory against Fiji:
"It was pretty important. Tietj talked before the game how much two points could make a difference especially going into Scotland. We won't know until next week how important it was but hopefully it can come off for us."
On his try scoring this weekend (11 tries):
"I was just right place at the right time and it could have happened to anyone. I am happy but it is all credit to the boys. I can't single one out they are all that good."
Philip Mack, Canada captain
On the Bowl victory:
"It feels amazing. Any win is good, but especially when we get some points. The group of guys we have right now is a special group and we are very happy to do that."
On his cover tackle that helped Canada reach the final against USA:
"You just have to dig in in those situatuions, they are just as tired so it is kind of who has got it left; it's all Sevens."
On the extra pace in the side:
"Sean Duke adds something extra on the wing. I think everyone underestimates Canada, they think we are going to be sluggish and catching a few teams sleeping it could be the difference."
On the desire to rejoin the Series:
"It is huge. We are proud of what we have accomplished in the four tournaments so far, and I think we are taking it a little personal and digging a little deeper when we get to game time."
On the hopes for Edinburgh:
"We are just going to keep building and try to ride this momentum in Scotland. One of the main things was we are having fun in the locker room and joking around more and that translates to the field. It is a fun game to play and it is better to play in a situation like this."
On the atmosphere at Twickenham:
"It is awesome, the Superhero thing was hilarious and we all had a good laugh about that. I think it has definitely grown as a tournament over the last few years and it is good to see."
Humphrey Kayange, Kenya captain
On winning the Shield:
"It is always nice to finish the way we did today. It hasn't been our tournament but we just picked ourselves up through the weekend and the final was where we decided to finish well."
On the defeat to New Zealand on day one and the next time they meet:
"A bit disappointed because we controlled the game and had the game in our hands. A bit unlucky at the end because we conceded that try, but I think we fancy our chances again and next time we meet them it will be a good one."
Stephen Betham, Samoa coach
On still being ahead of New Zealand in the standings:
"Yeah, but we have to do it again next week. Unfortunately we don't have enough points to be relaxed and we have to get up and do it all over again."
On preparation for Edinburgh:
"We don't have an easy pool there and it looks like it will be quarter finals against New Zealand or South Africa, so just psyching ourselves up from tonight."
On the Samoan support:
"I would like to thank them for coming and backing the boys. Unfortunately we couldn't go away with a win but that's Sevens rugby and we just have to pick ourselves up and go again next week."
Nicolas Fernandez Lobbe, Argentina coach
On the defeat to Australia in the Cup semi final:
"I think we did a few too many mistakes that ended in tries, and at this level you can't make two or three mistakes that end in tries. I am happy with the boys but they know to play at this level you have to have zero mistakes and we didn't do that in this match with Australia."
On his young players getting an opportunity to play at Twickenham:
"For them it is great. Two or three boys didn't come here last year and it is their first time, they are really happy with the atmosphere and the people. They are young so it will be great experience for their future careers."
Ben Gollings, England captain
On the loss to New Zealand in the Plate semi final:
"It is pretty disappointing. I know we suffered a big loss last night, but we put that to bed and we came out really positive today and still believe we could have done it. We came unstuck against South Africa in a pretty frustrating game to be honest. But then pick yourself up against New Zealand, another massive game in a big arena. Credit to the boys they did put it out in that game, but we weren't on the right end of the result and we need to be."
On picking the side up for Edinburgh next weekend:
"Hopefully we can partly start where we finished off because that is the level we expect of ourselves against the likes of New Zealand and that has got to happen every game, and it has got to happen if we want to start winning tournaments."
Stephen Betham, Samoa coach
On the victory over New Zealand:
"Well it could have gone any way, it was that type of game. I would just like to thank Tietj and his boys. We have to lift every time we play them; like I said before it is a team you have to measure yourself against."
On beating New Zealand in all of their six meetings this season:
"I wouldn't like to elaborate on that but we will take the win and just move on."
On bringing players like Ofisa Treviranus off the bench:
"It is good to have a strong bench and when it gets tight you rely on that bench and they provide."
On the semi final with South Africa:
"They will be just as hard as New Zealand."
James Stannard, Australia captain
On the compelling match against Fiji:
"The Fijians came out firing from that one and we didn't really expect that. But we really stuck to our guns, held our composure and we got through in the end."
On what is making the difference with Australia:
"I don't think it is too much on the field. We have worked hard in our preparation for this, but as a team we are a really close knit team and we really play for each other which makes the difference I think."
On Clinton Sills' express pace:
"It makes a big difference. We had Kimami (Sitauti) before who was really strong as a player and we kind of used him to get past the advantage line. Sills has that extreme pace and he really gets us on the front foot."
On playing Argentina in the Cup semi finals:
"They have been playing well this tournament, but we have to get our recovery, and really wake up for the next one as they are really going well."
Day one reaction
Ben Ryan, England coach
On England's 38-5 loss against Australia:
"It feels horrible, I just looked at the scoreboard again, 38-5.. that's embarrassing and I don't even know if we were good for the five to be honest with you. We started flat, we didn't seem to win our kick-offs and before we knew it we were two scores down against a good side who had their tails up and it was a bit different from the second game where we always felt we had the power to push past Scotland. You give Australia a lead with the side they've got and they're going to play with more confidence and they played us off the park."
On a quarter final against South Africa:
"I'd like to play it now because when you have that kind of loss you want to jump back on straight away. There will be a few harsh words and it might be a kick up the backside that the team needs. We have no intention of giving up this title any time soon. I can guarantee to everybody that the kind of performance that we put in tonight will be nothing like the one we will put up tomorrow afternoon against South Africa."
On captain Ben Gollings, who has a strapped hamstring and played no part against Australia:
"He'll start tomorrow and he could have come on there but I just thought that sometimes you've got to look ahead a little bit and that's not to say that we underestimated Ausdtralia. You pick 12 and you expect them all to perform well, there was no point in risking him."
Michael O'Connor, Australia coach
On the 38-5 victory against England at Twickenham:
"Very proud of them (the players). They really aimed up, showed great team work and composure and I am really very happy. As far as the standings for tomorrow, it is a toss of the coin whether you play South Africa or Fiji but it meant a lot. These guys, only three of them have played here before at Twickenham and it is a big occasion. Any time you play England at Twickenham, doesn't matter what it is for, it is important and I was really proud of the way they played."
On what he thinks has changed with Australia now genuine title contenders:
"Player selection, getting support from the ARU and I think it is a great event, an IRB Sevens tournament. We have been languishing for the last decade really, at the wrong end of the table and I just think there is a desire to do well now. It is getting a lot more publicity and exposure being an Olympic sport. It's always been up there as a very important pathway into 15s and it is even more relevant now."
On the match against Fiji tomorrow:
"You don't know what you are going to get with Fiji. You have got to be on your game to play them, they are so entertaining, and individually athletic and brilliant. We will be on our game tomorrow hopefully and all things well we can beat them."
Gordon Tietjens, New Zealand coach
On the draw with Kenya:
"We made a few changes because we felt like we had won our pool. Kenya were desperate and we made a lot of uncharacteristic error, we conceded a lot of penalties which kept them in the game and we lacked possession. Obviously a 19 all draw and we were lucky to come out at that really."
On a Cup quarter final with a team they haven't beaten all season, Samoa:
"That is part of it. If you are going to be good enough you have to beat them. They didn't play particularly well in their third game either so they will be desperate tomorrow as well so it will be a good quarter final."
On what to do tomorrow:
"We have just got to not concede penalties. We play well when we don't give penalties away. When we don't get the rub of the green we struggle."
On the London atmosphere:
"It is outstanding, it is growing every year even to an extent now it will be rivalling other countries that host events."
Fabian Juries, South Africa:
On getting back into Sevens fitness:
"Yeah definitely, it is a bit of a change from 15-man rugby, you run a lot more in Sevens. I am just enjoying being back so far. The fitness is not there just yet but I think it will come.
On returning to Sevens at Twickenham:
"It is great, definitely fuller than the last years I have been here, and it is a nice atmosphere so I am enjoying it."
Stephen Betham, Samoa coach
On the defeat against Argentina:
"Argentina deserved the win, they wanted it more than we did and congratulations to them. Tomorrow is another day, we have to get up again tomorrow and do it all over again. I think there was a mental barrier, I think they knew they topped the pool and went through the motions, but not taking any credit away from Argentina.
On a potential quarter final against New Zealand:
"I am not quite sure, I am not sure who tops our pool, but yeah we will see. If that's got to be that will be. We will just have to get up tomorrow, a new day, and anything can happen.
Stephen Gemmell, Scotland coach
On Scotland's day one at the London Sevens:
"Naturally disappointed with the results in the first two matches. We were defending a bit like we have been in 15s, we weren't reacting quick enough after the pass was away. We were playing two of the top four teams in the world in England and Australia, and what we have to take positively from those games is our attacking shape when we had the ball."
Philip Mack, Canada captain
On his side's overall performance today:
"I thought it was some what successful, we had a good outing against Fiji but came outa little weak against South Africa and they put it to us. But our coach took it back to basics and said let's go and have some fun. That's what we did against France, and I guess success is pretty fun."
On looking ahead to tomorrow:
"We don't know who we are playing, but for us it doesn't really matter. We just need to stick to our game plan and have fun."
Ben Gollings, England captain
On becoming only the second player to score 200 tries on the IRB Sevens World Series:
"It is pretty awesome feeling. Really, honestly, I am just happy to be winning out there, but it is a great milestone with what I have been doing so I am happy."
On his most memorable of the 200 tries:
"I think the one that sticks out the most is the winning one against Fiji at Hong Kong in 2006."
On the match against Scotland:
"They came at us, they played really well. To go 10 nil down against Scotland sometimes you are staring down the barrel. But the boys regrouped, played well, and we are happy to get the win."
On the final match against Australia:
"Although we have qualified, we want to top the group. We will go out all guns blazing and it will be a big one against Australia as it looks like they have hit some form this weekend.
On the crowd at Twickenham:
"Love it, they are awesome, absolutely awesome and hopefully there will be more and more tomorrow."
Paul John, Wales coach
On victory against Kenya to keep their Cup quarter final hopes alive:
"It was huge. With us being third seeds the second game is always massive. We were disappointed with ourselves against New Zealand and that was a knock out game for us. Because we won it it gives us another chance."
On the dramatic climax to the victory over Kenya:
"It was obviously a bit of roller coaster, we were disappointed with our first game but we were pleased with the boys effort and that's what we are about. We took the game to Kenya, scored some good points and didn't make as many errors. For Lee Rees to make that cover tackle in the last seconds says a lot, there was a lot of heart there. I was just pleased to get a win. We have one more game to go and if we do well in that we set ourselves up for a good day tomorrow but it is such a rollercoaster. "
DJ Forbes, NZ captain
On the importance of a victory in the first pool match:
"Obviously when we came out Tietj was saying to us some of the bigger teams weren't playing to well and everyone knows in Sevens on day one there are a lot of slip ups. We really needed to start well, so I guess for us it was a pretty good performance but there is still a lot to improve on."
On whether he was aware of Samoa's performance:
"We had a bit of feedback from our coach and managers, but we can't think to far ahead as we might not meet them. We just need to worry about our pool games and front up for day one and hopefully come day two we are still on our game."
On Samoa's three point lead in the standings:
"It is good that we are still in the race which is the key. But everyone knows to win a tournament you get 24, so three isn't going to be much buffer. For us we just need to focus going through our pool games."
On the return of Sherwin Stowers:
"You saw him open up in that game and get his try. But it is not going to be about individuals, especially at this time of the year. A lot of the teams know what all our players are about so it is just about a good team performance and working hard for our mates."
Tommy Saunders, USA
On playing at Twickenham as a convert from American Football:
"It is really exciting and I have never experienced something like this. It is just a different type of atmosphere and different type of crowd. Being here in London and enjoying the different type of atmosphere is just amazing."
On the first match against Samoa:
"It was a tough game, we didn't make some of our tackles. We just have to put it behind us, learn from out mistakes and move on to the next one later today."
On the superhero theme:
"I would be Spiderman, I like Spiderman. I think it would be cool to able to shoot a web like that."
Nigel Starmer-Smith, TV commentator
On the London Sevens 2010 tournament:
"You really get the sense that this tournament has now come of age and is becoming a key element of the World Series and one of the big boys. Ticket sales are big by any standards, the weather today is superb and they're after the Guinness World Record for the number of Superheroes in one place. Guess who I've come as!"
