Australia ends home rugby sevens title drought with epic win over New Zealand
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Australia edged New Zealand 28-26 in another sensational women’s rugby sevens final and won its first title at home in seven years on Sunday.
In 2018, Australia won the women’s and men’s titles in Sydney but couldn’t repeat the Australia Day feat in Perth.
The men were thrashed in the final by defending champion Argentina 41-5.
The women entered their final as slight underdogs without two of their best players after Maddison Levi (broken thumb) and Faith Nathan (concussion) were injured in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
New Zealand, which stormed into the final averaging nearly 43 points, opened the try-scoring through Michaela Brake after just 30 seconds.
In a back-and-forth thriller, Australia teen Heidi Dennis scored then made the break for Tia Hinds’ try. On halftime, Sarah Hirini’s charge led to New Zealand teammate Kelsey Teneti running away to tie it at 14-14.
Charlotte Caslick broke from her own 22 to send Australia ahead again, only for Brake to tear free down the left sideline a minute later. Her 254th try in world series history put her within two of the women’s all-time record of another New Zealand great, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
Dennis scored her second of the final, too, backing up a tiring Teagan Levi, and New Zealand struck back again through captain Risi Pouri-Lane in the penultimate minute.
But Pouri-Lane suffered the first missed conversion of the final and Australia survived the last 40-odd seconds of the 29th cup final between the trans-Tasman neighbors.
“Couldn’t really have scripted it much better,” Australia captain Bella Nasser said. “Haven’t won at home for a really long time, and for a lot of the girls it was their first time playing at home.”
Argentina crush men’s final
The Australian men ran out of gas to reach their first final in the series since Perth a year ago, when Argentina won 31-5. The Australians knocked out Olympic champion France in the quarterfinals and South Africa in extra time in the semifinals.
Argentina had already beaten Australia in pool play on Friday, and was too slick in the final.
Marcos Moneta scored the opening try on a switch play, then Luciano Gonzalez took advantage of an Australia knock-on at the restart. Santiago Alvarez crossed after a scrum tighthead — rare for sevens — and it was 17-0 at halftime.
When Australia’s second half kickoff didn’t go 10 meters, Gonzalez scored his second try. Matteo Graziano finished with a hat trick that was interrupted by Australia’s lone try to teen Hadley Tonga.
The third different winner in three legs of the series meant Fiji, Argentina and surprising Spain topped the standings with the same points, and were separated only by points difference.
The series goes to Vancouver on Feb. 21-23.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
