Samoa 7s vs New Zealand 7s Prediction: The outcome of this encounter will be close

In the battle for 9th-12th places, Samoa 7s and New Zealand 7s are set to clash in the finals. Both teams faced challenges during the group stages, and now they are looking to turn their fortunes around in this crucial encounter. Let's delve into the comprehensive previews and offer a prediction for the upcoming match.

After a performance in the group stage that could be described as less than stellar in this Svns USA, Samoa 7s has landed in the finals for the 9th-12th places. Following consecutive defeats in the group stages against USA 7s, New Zealand 7s, and Australia 7s, which left them at the bottom of Group B in this tournament, Samoa 7s secured their spot in this stage with a crucial 10-19 victory over South Africa 7s. However, concerns arise as Samoa 7s enters this match, having endured seven matches without a victory before the recent win.

New Zealand 7s enters this match as the favorites, aiming to showcase top-level performance. During the group stage of the Svns USA, New Zealand 7s managed just one victory, which was against Samoa 7s in a close 10-7 encounter. However, their matches against USA 7s and Australia 7s in the same group resulted in defeats, leading them to finish in 3rd place in Group B with four points. Despite these challenges, New Zealand 7s successfully progressed to the placement stages and secured their spot in this final matchup by defeating Canada 7s 19-7 in the 9th-12th places match semifinal.

While both teams may not be performing at their peak, it's evident that New Zealand 7s holds the upper hand, especially considering their victory over Samoa 7s in the group stage. Although historically, matches between these two sides have been closely contested, and despite New Zealand 7s being the favorites, I anticipate a closely fought encounter with Samoa 7s putting up a strong challenge. Therefore, I believe this match will be a closely contested one, and I predict that Samoa 7s will cover the spread.