LOS ANGELES – High-quality action came in droves during the 2023 HSBC Los Angeles Sevens.
The two-day tournament featured 45 games, with New Zealand coming out victorious in the Cup Final with a 22-12 win over Argentina.
The hosts, Team USA, had a homecoming to forget, however. After reaching the knockout stage in Los Angeles in 2022, the Eagles failed to advance from their pool this time and finished 13th, earning a meager three points for the season standings.
So, out of the countless games, what stood out the most? Let’s look at the top five plays and moments from a not-so-sunny weekend in Southern California:
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Steve Tomasin slices Kenya with low driven kick
Tomasin was a player to watch coming into the 2023 tournament, and though it didn’t exactly end well for Team USA, the 28-year-old delivered a mesmerizing pass that kick starts this list.
Up against Kenya in the 13th-place semifinal, Tomasin sliced the Simbas’ defense with a low driven kick from just past the 22-metre line that found Faitala Talapusi for the walk-in try.
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Iowane Teba gives Flying Fijians a new meaning
Fiji bowed out in a narrow semifinal loss to Argentina before claiming bronze, but Iowane Teba definitely made a name for himself in Los Angeles.
The 30-year-old scored four tries in Fiji’s 50-0 rout of Japan in its Pool C opener, then followed it up with a difficult score against Kenya in its second pool game.
He wheeled around from the middle of the field to the left flank despite the slippery conditions, then rode a tackle in mid-air and managed to touch the ball on the ground for a try.
Jordan Conroy’s amusing try celebrations
Ireland got off to a solid start to the tournament but eventually lost to Great Britain in the 5th-place semifinal. However, Jordan Conroy supplied some amusing celebrations throughout the team’s run.
The best ones stemmed from Ireland’s Pool B win over Canada, including this one of him sliding nose-down along the rainy pitch – not exactly surprising given his “Dancing With the Stars” background.
Kenya upsets Australia in Pool C opener
The Simbas may have finished near the bottom of the tournament ladder after losing to the U.S. in the 13th-place semifinal, but that wasn't the case from the beginning.
Kenya opened Pool C play with a win over defending season champions Australia. After Tim Clements scored first for the Aussies, Kenya’s Denis Abukuse responded with two tries of his own to help his nation pull off the 12-7 upset.
Jordan Sepho goes untouched from defense to offense
France is continuing its rise up the World Rugby Sevens ladder the last few years, and that manifested yet again in another solid showing in this tournament.
Against Uruguay in the ninth-place game, Jordan Sepho turned defense into offense in quick succession. He raced to a kicked ball down the right flank and scooped it up before turning upfield and going all the way for a try – all while being untouched.
