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For the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, Australia won’t have a sevens team in the semi-finals of a major rugby sevens tournament.
An evening that promised so much fell flat, as Australia’s men’s and women’s sevens sides suffered shock quarter-final defeats to France in the Sydney Sevens at Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening.
Unlike those hot, humid days in Tokyo, Australia’s sevens teams were strong throughout the pool stage but were outworked by their physical European opponents.
Australia look dejected after their heartbreaking three-point quarter-final defeat to France in Sydney, Australia. Photo Matt King/Getty Images
For Australia’s reigning Triple Crown-winning women’s team, who last season won Commonwealth Games gold, the World Series and the World Cup, the 10-5 loss to France was the biggest upset in this season’s World Series tournament.
Not only was it a gigantic come down to Earth for Australia’s golden girls, but it shapes as a killer blow to their hopes of going back to back in this season’s World Series.
With New Zealand, as well as the USA, France and Ireland, progressing through to the final four, Australia will lose more ground to their great trans-Tasman rivals, who entered the tournament with a four-point lead at the top of the series standings.
“It’ll probably put us a bit behind but we can start experimenting and making sure that we’re building up for next year and going into the Olympic year, but we’ve got to qualify – that’s the major thing – and then creep up as far as we can on the World Series,” Olympic gold medal-winning coach Tim Walsh said.
After going through the pool stage unbeaten, Australia wasn’t given an inch by a physical French side as the Europeans pulled off a stunning 10-5 upset to silence a healthy crowd at Allianz Stadium.
Forced to defend for much of the first half, Australia’s cause was not helped by a yellow card to star playmaker Charlotte Caslick.
The brilliant gold medal-winning ace and former World Rugby player of the year was sent to the sin bin for a high shot despite dropping her body height considerably as the French attacker Camille Grassineau swerved late, dropped her body height and dipped her head at the last second.
In the game of rugby sevens the tackle was always like to draw a card, but the decision left many thinking what else could she do?
It once again clouded an already mirky debate regarding foul play, which has been muddied further by the RFU’s decision to ban tackles above the waist in the amateur game.
Despite losing Caslick to the sin bin Australia’s defence held strong.
But an overthrown lineout on their own line spelled disaster as Chloe Pelle charged through and scored.
Not even a half-time break changed proceedings, as the French continued to stifle the home side’s plans.
The extra pressure started to tell as Australia’s passes missed their mark and the home side conceded a scrum on their own line after being forced to run the ball dead.
Charlotte Caslick (c) looks shell-shocked after Australia lost their quarter-final against France in Sydney on January 28, 2023. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images
France scored through Carla Neisen and the upset was very much on the cards as a sea change swept through the Sydney air and the clouds started to roll in.
Faith Nathan managed to find some space out wide and score a long-range try with less than a minute on the clock.
Australia successfully won the ball back from the kick restart, but after going wide Teagan Levi threw the ball back in to keep it alive but Caslick could not control it.
The game and their tournament hopes were up in smoke moments later as Caslick went off her feet to try and make a turnover at the breakdown.
“It’s horrible,” Walsh said. “Losing it not the greatest feeling in the world and particularly at home.
“They defended really well. I thought they deserved to win the game. They certainly shut us down and we couldn’t get going.”
Australia’s women will take on Great Britain at 11:32am in their fifth-place semi-final.
Australia leave the field after their quarter-final defeat against France in Sydney. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images
For the patient fans who waited until 9pm AEDT to see whether Australia’s men could progress through to the final four, the match-winning penalty kick from Stephen Parez Edo Martin after the final siren was a heartbreaking blow.
Australia’s men, who entered the match without their stand-in captain Henry Hutchison (knee), took a 14-7 lead into half-time after Maurice Longbottom landed his conversion from out wide after first-half tries to Tim Clements and Josh Turner.
But the home side saw little bit in the second half and their decision-making let them down in the precious few times they had possession.
After Theo Forner scored his second try and Paulin Riva banged over a tricky conversion, the decisive moment in the match came when some clever work at the breakdown saw Stu Dunbar penalised for holding on.
Paraz did the rest, with France falling to their knees in triumph while Australia was left to rue what might have been.
“I said I was really proud of their effort and fight,” Australian men’s coach John Manenti said.
“A couple of times we carried into touch where we probably needed to stay in, and in a game of obviously nothing, a couple of little things hurt you.
“I’m gutted for them because I knew how much it meant for them to go well in this tournament.”
France celebrate their quarter-final victory over Australia in the Sydney Sevens at Allianz Stadium on January 28, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images
Australia’s men’s side particularly must pick themselves up, with only the top four in the standings qualifying automatically for the Paris Olympics.
It means defeating Samoa on Sunday afternoon (2:06pm) is imperative, with every point crucial if they want to rise up the charts from seventh.
“We’ve got to come back and play tomorrow and we’ve got a really hard game against Samoa in the morning, so we’re going to have to dust ourselves off and come back and play for a bit of pride,” Manenti said.
“Every point on this World Series is going to matter. There’s a few teams above us that didn’t make the final eight, so we’ve got to scrap for every point we can to pull back on those guys.”
France will take on New Zealand in the first Cup semi-final, while South Africa and Fiji will battle it out in the second match.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.