Home comforts for ABs

Frank Halai's try earned the All Blacks a 17-12 victory and a place in the final against Fiji.

England faced Samoa in the third place play-off and won 21-12, Christian Lewis-Pratt touching down twice - converting both his own tries - and Isoa Damudamu grabbing the clincher against the Islanders.

England climb one place to third in the overall HSBC Sevens World Series standings as a result, after picking up 17 points. They trail New Zealand - who beat Fiji 24-7 in the final - by nine heading into next weekend's USA Sevens in Las Vegas, the fifth leg of the nine-event series.

"Our performances were really positive, we felt we and New Zealand were the best two teams and we're so close now," said head coach Ben Ryan.

"We're at the stage now that when we don't win a tournament we feel disappointed. We've played New Zealand four times this season, won one and they've won three by a single score and that's the difference between first place and third place.

"What was outstanding was the way we picked ourselves up for the third-place play-off and bounced back. It's the first time we've won one having lost in Delhi [at the Commonwealth Games] and in Port Elizabeth.

"We now need a strong second week going to Las Vegas, we've got 12 guys fit and healthy and we're ready to give it a good crack there."

Earlier England had brushed aside Tonga 26-7 at the quarter final stage reach the last four.

Impressive

Dan Norton, Mat Turner and captain Greg Barden all touched down in an impressive first half display - Christian Lewis-Pratt adding two conversions - and a second converted Turner try after the break put them out of sight with Daniel Kilioni scoring a last-minute consolation.

Then came a dramatic showdown with New Zealand in front of a sold-out Westpac Stadium crowd.

England dominated the first half with former Royal Marine Barden outflanking the cover for the first try and Chris Cracknell powering his way over for the second with Lewis-Pratt's conversion putting them 12-0 up at the break.

Charles Piutau pulled one back mid-way through the second half before All Black Hosea Gear came off the bench to strike with the equalising score while James Rodwell was in the sin bin.

Both sides had chances in extra time before Halai - the leading try scorer in the series - sprinted 40 metres to win it.