New Zealand down Pumas to win LA Sevens
New Zealand bagged their second victory of the 2023 World Rugby Sevens Series on Sunday, beating Argentina 22-12 to win the Los Angeles Sevens.
Flying wide player Leroy Carter scored two tries as the Kiwis avenged their shock defeat to the Argentinians in the final of the New Zealand Sevens last month.
The Los Angeles victory comes after New Zealand swept to the Sydney Sevens title in Australia, also in January.
"Obviously we've been working hard for a few years now, and we're finally clicking -- all that hard work is paying off," New Zealand captain Sam Dickson said.
New Zealand had reached Sunday's final in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson after a 24-12 quarter-final victory over Great Britain before defeating Australia 33-17 in the last four.
Argentina meanwhile had advanced to the final after a battling quarter-final win over Samoa was followed by a 20-17 upset of Fiji in the semi-finals.
But the South Americans' hopes of scoring another upset in the final were given a reality check by the clinical New Zealanders, who punished early defensive lapses to open up a commanding lead.
New Zealand took the lead midway through the first half, with Moses Leo running nearly the length of the field after the Kiwis took a quick tapped penalty near their own goal-line before working the ball wide to stretch Argentina.
The New Zealanders doubled their try tally moments later with another well-worked move, sending Carter over after Argentina failed to cover down the blind side.
Carter then grabbed his second after another bold attacking move, the New Zealanders turning defence into attack deep in their own 22 to send the wide man into space.
Carter accelerated smoothly around Santiago Alvarez to score to make it 17-0.
Argentina threatened to stage a comeback early in the second half when tries from Tobias Wade and Austin Fraga made it 17-12, but New Zealand regrouped and sealed victory on the whistle with a try from Brady Rush, the son of New Zealand sevens legend Eric Rush.
The win extends New Zealand's lead at the top of the series standings to 107 points after six events, 21 points clear of Argentina in second place.
The circuit moves to Canada next weekend for the Vancouver Sevens.
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