Taina Basiyalo 
[Source: HSBC Sevens]
The Fiji Airways Men’s 7s side made an electrifying start but were edged out 17-12 by New Zealand in a drama-filled clash to open their LA 7s campaign this morning.
Fiji came out firing, with Isikeli Basiyalo setting the tone early, showing grit and hustle as he wrestled possession away from the Kiwis in a powerful defensive statement.
The early momentum paid off when Joji Nasova sliced through the defence to grab the opening try.
Moments later, Filipe Sauturaga added a touch of magic, sneaking over with a clever finish to extend Fiji’s lead to 12-0 at halftime.
However, the All Blacks Sevens regrouped and struck back through Tone Ng Shiu early in the second half, narrowing the gap.
With three minutes left, Dylan Collier powered over to level the scores at 12-all, setting up a tense finish.
Tempers flared when Fiji’s Tira Welagi and New Zealand’s Sofai Maka squared up in a fiery exchange, raising the stakes in an already heated battle.
Maka had the last word, bursting through the defence right after the incident to put New Zealand ahead 17-12, a lead they held until the final whistle.
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