Australia has secured the inaugural gold medal in women’s rugby sevens with a thrilling seven-point win against New Zealand.
The Kiwis looked good in the opening minutes, keeping the ball locked in their attacking half and securing the opening try.
As Australia worked their way into the match, the momentum began to swing in favour of the Pearls (perhaps, not rightly) firstly through a try that was lucky to be awarded to Emma Tonegato.
At full pace, Tonegato appeared to just ground the ball in the corner, however, a slow motion replay revealed she actually dropped the ball while trying to get across the line.
The Aussies were then able to capitalise on some New Zeland mistakes to respond with a try late in the first half to enter the halftime break leading 10-5.
With Kiwi Portia Woodman starting the second half in the sin bin, Australia was able to extend their lead to 12 points off the back of some strong attacking play from Charlotte Caslick and Emilee Cherry that set up Ellia Green.
It was not Woodman’s day, who produced a crucial knock-on with 5:30 left on the clock after returning to the field. An electric run from Charlotte Caslick resulted, which pushed the score out to 24-5.
New Zealand would apply some pressure late, and cross for two tries to give the scoreboard some respectability, but it would be too little too late and a fourth gold for Australia.
Final score:
Australia 24
New Zealand 17
AlexG
Guest
Yeah great stuff. Our girls were the team of the tournament and deserved gold. A true olympic sport. It will get harder each year as more countries realise all they need is a good coach plus enthusiastic fast and intelligent players, but heck, there was a gold medal on offer and we came to PLAY!!! Especially good to watch Charlotte Caslick in action, she has a real sense of time and space on the field.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Perry... the 'lopsided results' also used to occur in the RWC which in comparison to the Olympics is a young competition. And it was only in the last RWC that Japan famously beat Sth Africa. Hence, the underdeveloped teams need the exposure, and experience of playing the top teams. Otherwise how do they ever get any better?
Perry Bridge
Guest
It's just the number of completely lopsided results including big scores versus nil. That was crap watching. Akin to junior sports!!!
jameswm
Roar Guru
That's a great call. Have the womens 7s players hand out the jerseys and give a quick 2 min talk about what it was like.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Agreed Brett. This is massive. They just seem to have tremendous mental strength. Can they hand out the jerseys at the first Bledisloe? And in a nation clogged with footy codes, they may have just put rugby back on the map.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Cugel, meanwhile in the rest of the world rugby is played, and NRL and afl are not.
Sydneysider
Guest
It's all about money for the Olympics, and I think T20 cricket will be included in the Olympics eventually. When you've got the 2nd most populous nation on earth playing the game, the IOC will want a piece of that lucrative pie.
Daveski
Guest
Yeah terrific performance from the Pearls. Caslick's covering tackle after running 90m in the game against the US and Williams covering tackle on the much quicker Huriana Manuel early on in the final epitomised the attitude of this team. Geez 20minutes of top level 7s is a fitness test. Feel sorry for Woodman, along with Caslick was player of the tournament going into the final match and was just one of those games. I think on their day there are six strong teams now in women's 7s ( Aus, NZ, England/GB, Canada and US plus France who up til now have concentrated more on women's XVs)... World Rugby will do well to invest more in the likes of Fiji, Kenya, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Netherlands, Russia and Sth Africa who are the next rung down and whilst currently off the pace have the populations or the rugby culture to improve sufficiently. That would really give Women's Sevens an enviable global look.
josh
Roar Rookie
Was reading Caslick was a former Aus rep touch player, and junior 800m runner. Shows in her play.
matth
Guest
What a great effort from the team. High quality stuff. The win was built in the first half. The Kiwis threw the kitchen sink at us and dominated the half, but only got one try to show for it. that was the game right there.
matth
Guest
Rugby world cup is the third largest sporting event on the planet, so not sure what you are getting at.
matth
Guest
And for each sport admitted these days, there must be an equal mens and womens competition. I think if you look closely at almost any sport there are a few dominant countries. We could call off the basketball right now. Table tennis - how many actually competitive countries? May four or five dominant countries in the pool - USA, Australia, China, Russia, Japan Hocvkey has typically been won by three or four different countries Same for water polo Track Cycling is dominated by the commonwealth countries, plus Germany and NZ China dominate diving How many different countries have won the gymnastics teams events? 5?
JohnB
Guest
Meaning a penalty try wouldn't have been out of the question. 7-5 at half time, with the Kiwi still in the bin
JohnB
Guest
And lost 5-0 to NZ.
DaniE
Roar Guru
Reminds me of one of the NZ v Wales games back in June - a few upright tackles with face collisions. Very surprised it was such a theme there.
NaBUru38
Guest
Neither would the Pumas.
KiwiHaydn
Guest
Thanks Jake, winningest comment of the day.
HarryT
Guest
Congratulations to the Pearls. Both teams showed that when there is a balance in both attack and defense, and also in skill and physicality, that rugby is a great game to watch. I think that the US girls will be a factor in the near future. Because of gender equity issues in US universities, rugby for women is becoming a widely played scholarship sport that will benefit tremendously from the uni's well resourced athletic departments. A draw with the Pearls and a 5-0 loss to NZ prove they are already competitive.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Read it in the papers tomorrow.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I've got problems with that tackle. The USA girl led with her head and the first contact was head into head. She didn't mean it, but those sorts of tackles shouldn't be allowed.