Australia’s sevens world champions have been denied victory within the inaugural girls’s version of the Hong Kong Sevens, crushed within the last by a seemingly unstoppable New Zealand aspect.
The groups in black ensured a double within the marquee sevens occasion on Sunday because the New Zealand males additionally took the crown which had been received final yr by Australia.
After an in depth showdown, Charlotte Caslick’s Aussie girls, who have been the final staff to beat the New Zealanders within the Dubai Sevens last in January however have like everybody else been unable to tame them since, ended up being ousted 26-17.
The Kiwis sealed their win with simply 21 seconds left on the clock as Stacey Waaka sped in for her second attempt to make it an unimaginable 29 wins and 4 trophies in a row for the winners.
It was additionally their third world collection last win in a row over the Aussies after victories in Cape City and Vancouver.
Teen Bienne Terita had scored first for the Australians however she was later sin-binned after tackling Kelly Brazier off the ball and conceding a penalty attempt.
With an additional lady, Waaka scored for the New Zealanders however the inspirational Caslick went over to slim the hole.
New Zealand’s Michaela Blyde notched a transformed attempt to make it 21-12 and Sariah Paki’s unconverted reply proved too little too late.
“I really like taking part in Australia, they make us a greater staff,” New Zealand captain Sarah Hirini mentioned.
The comfort for world sevens participant of the yr Caslick was a record-breaking weekend through which she’d develop into the primary Australian previous 150 tries in world collection matches.
“It was one other nice last, simply with the incorrect end result for us,” mentioned Australian coach Tim Walsh, whose staff had earlier crushed Nice Britain 21-5 within the semi-final.
“Hong Kong has been residence to such an incredible match, showcasing what an unimaginable spectacle rugby sevens – particularly girls’s rugby sevens – will be.”
However Australia’s males, the reigning Hong Kong champs, may solely end a vastly disappointing tied-11th as New Zealand went on to beat Fiji 24-17 within the last.
It was New Zealand’s first Hong Kong title since 2014 and the staff’s 12th general, second solely to Fiji’s main mark of 19.
“We have been all actually upset with this weekend’s performances,” mentioned Australian males’s coach John Manenti.
“We let ourselves down with poor self-discipline all through the match. The excellent news is we solely have every week to attend to repair it in Singapore.”
It was a landmark match for Nick Malouf, who performed his 50th world collection match on his return from harm.
