There is no question that the USA Sevens in Las Vegas was for everyone involved the most eye-opening of new rugby experiences and one which ended, like every other tournament, with a superb showpiece finale.

Much of the rugby talk before the tournament centred on the narrowness of the Sam Boyd Stadium pitch, usually a haven for American Football. At 58 metres wide, the pitch was narrower than the norm and forced a tactical rethink for the coaches, but Samoa's Mikaele Pesamino did not seem to mind one bit.

The poacher supreme still found enough space to scorch over for eight tries on day one - including a hat trick against Scotland and a record-equalling five against Chile - and 11 in all as Stephen Betham's side triumphed over New Zealand for a second time in two weeks.

Video: Samoa hit Vegas jackpot



In doing so they won their fourth Cup title in IRB Sevens and rose to second in this season's IRB Sevens World Series standings.

The islanders also boasted the crucial nous of Uale Mai and the 'Player of the Tournament' in Alafoti Fa'osiliva, who rucked, tackled and ran like a man with two hearts and four lungs. His personal seven-try haul was also the best by a forward this season.

In crossing for his 11 tries, Pesamino also surpassed countryman Uale Mai as Samoa's all-time leading try scorer in the history of IRB Sevens.

Mai has scored 119 tries in his career and Pesamino now sits on 123, the fourth highest in the list behind Santiago Gomez Cora (227), Ben Gollings (193) and Fabian Juries (173).

The feats of both Pesamino and Fa'osiliva are all the more impressive when put in the context of the tournament.

In the 11-year history of the World Series, Las Vegas was the sixth-lowest scoring event and yet Pesamino's 11-try return is up there among the very best individual hauls.

228 Las Vegas 2009/10
228 London 2003/04
226 Suva 1999/00
225 Dubai 2008/09
225 Edinburgh 2007/08
201 Durban 2000/01