The All Blacks Sevens have kicked off the new World Series in style, beating the USA 21-5 to win the opening tournament of the year in Dubai.
Having qualified for the quarter-finals after winning all their pool matches, New Zealand went onto beat Scotland and England to reach the final against the Americans - who they had beaten on day one.
The win also means New Zealand were two from two in Dubai after the Black Ferns Sevens won the women's tournament.
The All Blacks Sevens headed into the final with only nine fit players, with captain Scott Curry, Sam Dickson, Akuila Rokolisoa and Regan Ware all unavailable due to injury.
They'd already lost Kurt Baker and Jona Nareki to tournament-ending injuries on day one.
But that didn't stop them outscoring the US three tries to one. Tone Ng Shiu, Dylan Collier and Ngarohi McGarvey-Black scored tries, and Andrew Knewstubb and Vilimoni Koroi added conversions as New Zealand won their first World Sevens Series title in the desert since 2009.
Knewstubb was named the player of the tournament.
Earlier, New Zealand had to dig deep to hold out England 7-5 in a low-scoring semi-final.
They led 7-0 at the break after Ng Shiu scored a try and Knewstubb landed the conversion, which ended up being the difference.
Tom Bowen responded for England early in the second half, and then they almost hit the lead, but Harry Glover's five-pointer was ruled out after he stepped on the sideline.
The All Blacks Sevens then had to defend their line for more than two minutes after the fulltime siren, before they were declared winners.
In the quarter-finals, New Zealand made light work of Scotland. New Zealand led at halftime 14-0 after tries from McGarvey and Amanaki Nicole in the first spell, while Knewstubb added the Kiwis' third in the second half.
The All Blacks Sevens will be back in action next week at the Cape Town Sevens, where they will face South Africa, Samoa and a qualifier in pool play.
Newshub.
