The Ott Constructors Tamauli 7s of Salelologa have won the 34th Vailima Marist International Sevens 2022 final in a tightly fought battle against BBE Vaiala.

At the end of the final only 2 points separated the two teams with the Savai’i team coming out victors. Both teams scored 2 tries a piece with the only difference coming from an unconverted try by the losing side.

BBE Vaiala drew first blood with the first try of the final through David Tavita but the conversion was not successful. 

Ott Constructors Tamauli then struck back with a try to Elisaspeta Alofipo beside the posts which he converted to give his team the lead 5–7 over their rivals. 

However, that lead was short lived as BBE Vaiala then hit back with a try to Murphy Paulo under the posts, which was successfully converted to enable the Upolu team to take the lead 12–7 going into half-time. 

In the second half, possession kept on changing between the two teams as they both went through several phases before Kerisimasi Savai’inaea broke through BBE Vaiala’s defence to score a try. A successful conversion saw Tamauli take the lead again 14–12 in the second stanza.

After the try to Tamauli, the game intensified with both teams upping their defences and attack right up the last minute with defence by Tamauli holding out their rivals to maintain their 14–12 scoreline. 

The player of the tournament and the man of the match was Elisapeta Alofipo of Tamauli from Salelologa. 

In the women’s division, the SCB Apia Maroons thrashed No Idea 19–0 to win the cup final.

On the first day of the tournament, the Marist 7s men’s division saw eight teams reach the quarterfinals of the cup. During the finals on the second day, there were surprises as the 2021 champions and favourites for the 2022 tournament, the Ott Constructors Laulii Lions were defeated by BBE Vaiala 12 – 29 in the first quarterfinal. 

The other surprise was the powerhouse team, the PacificEzy Tepatasi, losing out on a place for the cup final by going down in defeat to Vailima Marist St Josephs 12–15.

The organisers of the Marist Sevens announced that the 34th Marist Sevens tournament is part of the celebrations of the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary.