Eleven-time champions New Zealand have crashed out of the Hong Kong Sevens in poolplay, with a 24-17 loss to Australia ending their title hopes.
Set back early by an opening loss to Samoa, the All Blacks Sevens needed to overcome both their trans-Tasman rivals and hosts Hong Kong to advance to the quarter-finals, but fell short and will now play off for ninth.
The NZ men overcame the home team easily enough, running in six tries in a 38-14 rout to begin day two, but were found wanting against the team that captured the overall world series crown last season.
Ahead 7-5 after three minutes, the All Blacks Sevens conceded the next three tries to fall 17 points behind, before Sione Molia and Leroy Carter closed the margin in the dying moments.
Carter's effort came 1m 30s after time expired, leaving his team no opportunity to find another score to force overtime.
New Zealand missed the first four tournaments of the 2021/22 series, due to COVID-19 restrictions, and finished eighth overall, despite victory in the season-ending event at Los Angeles.
This result marks a disastrous start to the new series, as they prepare to face Kenya for consolation points.
NZ 38 (McGarvey-Black, Dickson, Ware, Nicole, Rokolisoa & Molia tries; Baker 2 & Rokolisoa 2 conversions) Hong Kong 14 (Yiu & Brien tries; Webb 2 conversions)
Australia 24 (Turner, Roache, Longbottom & Lawson tries; Roache 2 conversions) NZ 17 (Leo, Molia & Carter tries; Baker conversion)
