Australia win their first ever Oceania Sevens title

Australia has scored a stunning 34-12 win over reigning IRB Sevens World Series Champions Samoa to claim their first ever Oceania Sevens Championship.

Australia's win caps of an outstanding 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series and positions Michael O'Connor's men beautifully ahead of their tilt at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

It was the first time that Australia had beaten Samoa this year and Australian Coach Michael O'Connor was delighted.

"That's the only team we haven't beaten this year so I'm glad we've been able to get that monkey off our back" said O'Connor.

Whilst dissappointed, Samoan coach Stephen Betham wasn't ringing the alarm bells.

"Obviously it's always dissappointing to lose but I'm happy with how some of the new guys performed and it has been a great preparation for us for the Commonwealth Games" said Betham.

In the 3rd/4th final, Tonga, down to six men for the final 2 minutes, scored a try on fulltime to beat a vastly improved PNG side 12-7. PNG have been the real bolters at the Oceania Championship and will surely put the shivers through some opponents at the Commonwealth Games next week. Tonga showed great composure to beat PNG and qualify for Hong Kong as well as the Wellington and Adelaide Legs of the IRB Sevens World Series. PNG will join them and Cook Islands in Wellington and Adelaide.

The Cook Islands have qualified for the Wellington and Adelaide legs of the IRB Sevens World Series with a tight 15-5 victory over Niue to claim 5th spot at the Oceania Championship - a significant improvement on their dissappointing 2009 Tournament.
In the playoff for Seventh spot, Tahiti notched up their first victory of the tournament with a 19-7 victory over Vanuatu.

Australia, Samoa, Tonga and PNG now head to India with six tough games under their belt ahead of the Commonweatlh Games which start on 11th October.