Muller is catalyst for South Africans

England discovered Sevens hell here yesterday when they slipped out of the Emirates leg of the World Series to a sharper South African side in a disappointing semi-final that ended 26-12.

Any hopes England might have harboured of a repeat of their Hong Kong triumph of a few weeks ago were snuffed out from the first minute when Horrie Muller was allowed too much space.

Thereafter they were forever playing catch-up, but at least they had contributed to some excitement for the home fans and remain on course to claim the fourth seeding for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in August, depending on how well they do in the last round in Cardiff next weekend.

It had taken its time to come alive, but the fires were eventually lit under this tournament in the quarter-finals of the London leg – the 10th round of the competition.

Three of those four ties were riveting, only the first a tense affair between New Zealand and Samoa petering out into a poor-quality match. But Wales managed to reach the semi-finals for only the second time since they entered the World Sevens Series, England really turned it on against a transformed Australia, while South Africa won a thriller in extra time against Fiji.

Wales 19-10 victory over Argentina was not a pretty affair but it was crammed with excitement and the pacy Newport (soon to be Pontypridd) full-back Emyr Lewis got on the scoresheet for the fourth time, and Arwel Thomas made sure of the historic moment with a late try.

But the effort in getting there had clearly drained them and they were never in it. New Zealand, who had already secured the overall title, were just too experienced and gifted as the 29-0 score suggested.

South Africa then accounted for Fiji, but only after a sudden-death finish when Egon Seconds muscled and bustled his way through the South Sea Islanders' defence for a brilliant finish.

Then it was England's turn and they had the sizeable crowd – around 20,500 by late afternoon – veering between cheering and jeering as they let the Wallabies in for an early try, hit back, went ahead then fell behind again.

Ben Gollings, the speedy Harlequins winger, had missed a conversion which had allowed Australia to nose ahead, but the Antipodean proboscis was soon put out of joint when Paul gave full rein to his magnificent skills.

He steps off either foot, reaches breakneck speed from a standing start, and with opponents bearing down on him is able to explode through a gap and tear upfield before off-loading as he did twice in the quarter finals yesterday.

The first time he did so he set Paul Sampson free and then he started the move that saw the brilliant Josh Lewsey race over for his fourth try of the tournament so far.