Ben Ryan, Fiji Sevens coach: “It is good to get on the podium again and the boys played really well today. When they want to turn it on they are not an impossible team to stop but they are pretty hard to beat. We’re working hard, it’s not been plain sailing but you can see what happens when you get the boys together.”
Osea Kolinisau, Fiji Sevens captain: “We are very excited because it keeps us in the race for the title. Our goal for this season is to win the Series and we have closed the points here. We hope to try and improve on any mistakes and take each game at a time in Hong Kong. There will be more expectation now that we have won in Tokyo in Hong Kong."
Gareth Williams, Wales coach (Bowl winners): “It is a step forward. We were disappointed yesterday and that draw with Canada cost us a quarter final place. We had some tough games today, a lot of it our own fault but the boys dug in well and that final was an example of that to be fair to them."
Santiago Gomez Cora, Argentina coach (Shield winners): “It was a very difficult tournament. We started with the host team and they were always going to be hard. Our goal after the first day was to win some silverware and after our loss earlier, it was this tournament on day two. The idea is to develop the team here to go to Hong Kong,”
Ben Ryan, Fiji coach, after Cup semi final win over New Zealand: “New Zealand are exceptional, but we have a good group doing things well. If we keep the ball against anyone we will win most games. This side is evolving and it is one step further and we are in the final which is great.”
Japan's Lote Tuqiri after defeat of Samoa: "Good atmosphere here, and good to win against a top core team, it is really relieving for the team especially building up to the Hong Kong Sevens. It is a different emotion altogether but thanks to the boys for giving their guts out, it was an awesome victory. I didn’t score any tries yesterday so good to be back scoring tries today, I am happy with the whole team and for me too. It helps us build confidence and gives our fans, friends and family something to cheer."
DAY ONE REACTION
Osea Kolinisau, Fiji captain, Cup quarter finalists: “He (Ben Ryan) told us we weren’t playing to our usual standards, we weren’t relaxed. We needed to win our game because everything was on the line for us. Especially the tournament in Tokyo, and the Series points. Tokyo is a very important stage for us. We need to win this in order to keep our hopes of the Series alive.”
Matt Hawkins, USA coach: “A good day overall, we should have finished a lot better than we did, but we didn’t play rugby against France. We have proven we can win when we need to and we need to show consistency and do it in the big games, we needed to win that as our big game, and we had the chance to top our pool and we didn’t and we had a nervous wait.”
Japan’s Lomano Lemeki, on his World Series debut: “It was enjoyable, very tough, but enjoyable and everything I thought it would be. As far as it goes, that (the two tries in my first match) would have to be my personal highlight. We started off well, but faded off against South Africa.
"We were in this game the whole way and unfortunately a few handling errors cost us at the end. The coach is happy with where we have come from but we are still a bit short as to where we want to be. Everyone is putting their hearts on the line playing in front of a home crowd, they were always behind us and it gave us a bit of an extra boost.”
