Semi-Final Game: Australia v Canada

The Australians kicked off the first half, opening the scoring with a Shani Williams try off an Ellia Green pass.

Canada’s Bianca Farella then scored her 150th rugby 7s international try, placing her second internationally only to New Zealand’s Portia Woodman.  Canada gained the lead with a successful conversion. 

They held this lead only for a short time. Cassie Staples almost immediately found a gap in Canada’s defense, when the women in red had a player down and ran most of the pitch before passing to a supporting Ellia Green who scored Australia’s second try.  Canada closed off the half with a second try and conversion of their own.

Australia started the second half behind by two points. Facing a physical Canada, who at several times seemed to outmuscle their Aussie counterparts, Australia were finally able to break through a tough Canadian defense with a speedy Dominique Du Toit try.

A subsequent two Canadian tries and conversions put the northerners back in the lead though. The Canadians won the game 28-19 and sealed their place into the cup final.  A disappointed Australia were then set to play the third-place game against France.

Bronze medal game: Australia v France

The game started with Australia struggling to advance against a very physical and defensive France.  The French gained possession of the ball through a turnover and only had a short distance to run to score the match’s first try and subsequent conversion. 

They followed this up quickly with a second try and conversion after managing to take the ball off the Aussie women. 

Facing a fourteen-point deficit, Faith Nathan was able to then steal the ball off the French.  The 19-year-old then ran the ball straight between the posts to score a try right before the first half ended. 

The Aussies entered the second half seven points behind.  The beginning of the second half was a defensive matchup between the Australian and French women. 

The contest seemed equal between both sides until Sariah Paki received a yellow, her second of the weekend, leaving the Aussies one woman down. 

The French capitalized on this numerical advantage, scoring a try that brought them 12 points clear of Australia with less than two minutes to go.

The Aussies fought for the remaining part of the half, at times more against themselves than against the French. 

After several missed passes which luckily did not result in a turnover, Australia’s Demi Hayes found space in a French gap and sprinted a significant part of the pitch to Australia’s second try.

This, however, was too little too late.  The Aussies lost the match 14-19, finishing fourth in the event.