Australia have underlined their gold medal credentials less than two weeks out from the Commonwealth Games by beating IRB Sevens World Series champions Samoa 34-12 to win the Oceania Sevens in Darwin, Australia.

Skipper Patrick McCutcheon led from the front as his young side overpowered the favourites in an exciting final at Austar Rugby Park. He and the side will now leave for Delhi on Tuesday full of confidence.

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Returning Sevens star Luke Morahan scored a double in the decider and powerful forward Jesse Parahi also crossed for two tries as Michael O'Connor's team won by six tries to two.

Australia finished the tournament undefeated after also accounting for Tahiti 51-0 and Tonga 24-5 on day two in a performance which was all the more impressive considering the host of stars unavailable with niggling injuries.

Qantas Wallabies winger Lachie Turner was ruled out minutes before the final as a precaution after rolling his ankle warming up while Western Force wing Nick Cummins (shoulder), Queensland Reds rookie recruits Liam Gill (ankle) and Kimami Sitauti (ankle) and Sydney Uni fly half Bernard Foley (ankle) played little part. All, however, are confident they will be fit for Delhi.

“I think that’s the first time that I have ever beaten Samoa, but they’re only going to get better in a big tournament and we’re going to have to contend with New Zealand as well,” said Player of the tournament Luke Morahan.

“To win here was great, especially with the number of guys we had injured. I definitely think we’ve proven we’re medal contenders in Delhi.”

After posting impressive performances in Darwin, the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga have qualified to compete at the New Zealand and Australia legs of the IRB Sevens World Series in 2011, and the Tongans will also compete in Hong Kong.

Full results

Results - day 2

Samoa 55 (Fautua Otto 3, Falemiga Selesele 2, Mikaele Pesamino 2, Levi Asi, Taulagi Afamasaga tries Alatasi Tupou 3, Apelu Faaiuga 2 cons) bt Vanuatu 7 (Anthoine Sablan try, Waute Chichirua con)
 
PNG 21 (Monty Diave 2, Eugene Tokavai tries, Tokavai 3 cons) bt Cook Islands 17 (Nathan Robinson 2, Jerome Vogel tries, Robinson con)

Tonga 24 (Taani Kaliti 2, Siosiua Ma’afu, Fakolulu Taumalolo tries, Taumalolo 2 con) bt Niue 0

Australia 51 (Luke Morahan 2, Ed Jenkins 2, Lachie Turner 2, Nick Phipps, James Stannard, Shaun Foley, Stannard 3 cons) bt Tahiti 0

Cook Islands 33 (Teina Savage 2, Kairan Mahia, Robinson, Tepou’ Nipurahi tries, Robinson 4 cons) bt Vanuatu 7(Koko Kalsal try, Chichirua con)

Niue 26 (Ricki Helagi, Vincent Pihigia, Toni Pulu, Matthew Faleuka tries, Helagi 3 cons) bt Tahiti 5 ( Yannick Gooding try)

Samoa 17 (Apelu Faaiuga, Pale Toelude, Pesamino tries, Tupou con) bt PNG 10 (Albert Levi Jnr, Shadrach Ghabiliha tries)

Australia 24 (Jesse Parahi, Turner, Foley, Stannard tries, Stannard 2 cons) bt Tonga 5 (Taumalolo try)

7th/8th play-off – Tahiti 19 (Gooding 2, Aitotea Lenoir tries, Tehotuarii Tehuritaua 2 cons) bt Vanuatu 7 (Andro Kalpukai try, Silu Sablan con)

5th/6th play-off – Cook Islands 15 (Robinson 2, Kairan Mahia tries) bt Niue 5 (Pulu try)

3rd/4th play-off – Tonga 12 (Tukuafu, Taumalolo tries, Taumalolo con) bt PNG 7 (Kautu try, Tokavai con)

Final – Australia 34 (Parahi 2, Morahan 2, Jenkins, Foley tries, Stannard 2 con) bt Samoa 12 (Apelu Faaigua, Paul Chan Tung tries, Faaigua con)

Day 1

Samoa 24 (Sani Niue 2, Mikaele Pesamino, Fautua Otto tries, Otto 2 con) bt Papua New Guinea 7 (Monty Diave try, Eugene Tokavai con)

Australia 21  (Liam Gill, Lachie Turner, James Stannard tries, Stannard 3 cons) bt Tonga 12 (Teu-i-muli Kaufusi, Feleti Fifita tries, Fifita con)

Niue 38 (Tui Taufoou 3, Hayden Head, Afargo Laufoli, Zachariah Makavilitogia tries Makavilitogia 4 cons)  bt Tahiti  0

Cook Islands 21 (Jerome Vogel 2, Teina Savage tries, Nathan Robinson 3 cons) bt Vanuatu 10 (Koko Kalsal, Waute Chichirua tries)

Papua New Guinea 27 (Diave, Smith Lakas, Ray Vagi, Albert Levi Jnr, Shadrach Ghabiliha tries, Tokavai con) bt Niue 10 (Jason Karena, Head try)

Tonga 22 (Fifita, Fokolulu Tamalolo, Samsoni Hafoka, Taani Kaliti tries, Fifita con) bt Cook Islands 14 (Robinson, Francis Takiari tries, Robinson 2 cons)

Samoa 50 (Alatasi Tupou 4, Otto 2, Levi Asi, Alafoti Faosiliva tries, Tupou 3, Apelu Faaiuga, Pesamino cons) bt Tahiti 0

Australia 57 (Luke Morahan 2, Pat McCutcheon 2, Jesse Parahi, Jason Seage, Stannard, Turner, Foley tries, Stannard 6 con) bt Vanuatu 0

Samoa 31(Faaiuga, Tupou, Pesamino, Taulagi Afamasaga, Niue tries, Paul Chan Tung 2, Tupou cons) bt Niue 5 (Head, try)

Australia 19 (Stannard 2, Turner tries, Stannard 2 con) bt Cook Islands 7 (Beau Mokotupu try, Robinson con)

PNG 38 (Henry Liliket, Tisa Kautu, Gare Ponda, Levi Jnr, Nelson Daplin, Ghabiliha tries, Levi Jnr 3, Kautu, Kakah cons) bt Tahiti 0

Tonga 52 (Hafoka 3, Seilame Tukuafu, Siosiua Ma’afu, Taani Kaliti, Ratu Apakuki Maafu, Heamatangi Tuivai tries, Taumalolo 6 cons)  bt Vanuatu 0

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