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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:03:31:10:07:16 by Kath..

Tom Powell scored England's opening try against Australia today

ENGLAND finished the pool stages of the Tokyo Sevens by hammering Argentina 31-7 at the end of a frustrating day.

They led both their opening games before going down 26-19 against Australia and then 31-21 to Samoa at the start of the seventh leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

The result sees them miss out on a quarter final place and they now face either Spain or Portugal in the Bowl competition tomorrow.

Former Bristol wing Dan Norton scored his 29th try of the campaign with half back Sam Edgerley touching down as England led Argentina 12-0 at the break.

Then Christian Lewis-Pratt, Mathew Turner and Marcus Watson touched down in the second half to complete the rout.

Earlier England had led Australia 12-5 at half time with tries from Tom Powell and Lewis-Pratt.

Tom Cusack, Lewis Holland and Cameron Clark hit back for Australia before Edgerley touched down and Turner converted to set up a frantic finish.

England had been overwhelmed by Samoa in the first half in Hong Kong a week earlier but this time lead 21-14 with tries from Lewis-Pratt, Norton and John Brake.

But Samoa ran in second half scores through Lolo Lui and Tulolo Tulolo with Levi Asifamatala's late try clinching it.

Elsewhere Wales - finalists in Hong Kong - went down 24-22 to the USA and 10-12 to Scotland, who earlier pulled off one of their best results of the season in beating Kenya 12-0.

England Sevens: Eight tries for Norton in Tokyo Bowl victory


Dan Norton in action for England Sevens

DAN NORTON scored eight tries in three games as England claimed the Bowl title at the Japan Sevens.

The former Bristol wing scored hat tricks against Portugal (40-0) and Hong Kong finalists Wales (21-19), then touched down twice in the 38-0 Bowl final victory over Argentina.

Norton has raced to the top of the try scoring charts in the HSBC Sevens World Series with 37 – six more than his nearest rival, South Africa’s Cornal Hendricks.

Hendricks, though, scored a decisive try as South Africa won the overall Tokyo title by beating New Zealand 24-19 in the final.

Missing out on the quarter finals on day one means England only picked up eight points towards the overall standings and lie in 10th place going into the final two legs of the series in Glasgow (May 4-5) and London (May 11-12).

After losing to Samoa and Australia on day one, England opened day two by running in six tries against Portugal. Norton completed his hat trick two minutes after half time and captain Rob Vickerman, Jeff Williams and Marcus Watson also touched down.

The Bowl semi was a thriller, though, as Lee Williams, Mathew Pewtner and Jack Phillips had put Wales 19-14 ahead only for England to grab the ball back with Norton completing hat trick No.2 to level the scores with Christian Lewis-Pratt converting.

Earlier Wales had beaten Japan 22-14 in the Bowl quarter final with two Alex Webber tries and one from Adam Thomas.

It was one-way traffic in England’s Bowl final with half back Sam Edgerley (2) and Norton putting England 19-0 up at half time. Second half Norton, Williams and Watson tries completed the job.