United States have claimed their first tournament win of the 2018/19 series after thumping Samoa 27-0 in the final to win the Las Vegas 7s on Monday morning (AEDT).
After finishing runners-up in the four previous tournaments, the defending champions made it back-to-back titles and moved to the top of the standings with four more tournaments to play out.
Meanwhile, Australia’s latest rugby sevens assignment has ended in disappointment with back-to-back losses leaving them to languish seventh.
After breezing through pool play unbeaten, Australia title hopes were ended by Samoa in the quarter-finals before England claimed their fifth-place semi-final 33-14 on Monday (AEDT).
Australia led 14-7 with two minutes remaining in the first half after Henry Hutchinson iced a break by Simon Kennewell, but England then piled on 26 unanswered points to advance to the fifth-place final with Fiji.
Will Edwards levelled the scores on half-time before a Will Muir double secured the win.
Muir nailed his second with a 60-metre break, capitalising on Australia playing a man down after Jesse Parahi was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.
Ryan Olowofela completed the rout when he scythed past Ben O’Donnell to notch England’s fifth try.
Australia were edged 21-20 by Samoa on Sunday, who advanced to the Cup final by beating Argentina 33-19.
In the other Cup semifinal, new series leaders the United States pipped former joint frontrunners New Zealand 24-19.
The hosts then drubbed Samoa 27-0 in the final while New Zealand claimed third by beating Argentina 26-19.
England claimed fifth by shading Fiji 19-15.
Australia stay sixth in the series standings with 57 points halfway through the 10-leg schedule, where a top four finish is the goal to secure direction qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.
The US lead on 98 points, three clear of New Zealand. Fiji (84), England (68) and South Africa (65) round out the top five.