New Zealand overpowered defending champions Fiji 31-5 yesterday to win the final of the Hong Kong Sevens tournament for the seventh time. New Zealand, beaten 21-12 by Fiji in last year's final, turned the tables in this 25th anniversary tournament and moved within two points of their Pacific islands rivals at the top of the World Sevens Series with just two rounds left to play.

Fiji took the earliest of leads, storming across the New Zealand try line after just 14 seconds. The stunned New Zealanders went straight on to the counter-attack but it took them almost six minutes to open their account when Justin Wilson dived across the line.

The second New Zealand try came minutes later with an heroic lunge by Tony Monaghan. It took his personal points tally to 52.

A third try in the dying seconds of the first half gave New Zealand a 19-5 lead at the interval.

Ireland salvaged some pride in the tournament by winning the lowly Bowl event - convincingly beating China 59-7.