PERTH, Australia — In a thrilling conclusion to the women’s rugby sevens tournament, Australia narrowly overcame New Zealand with a score of 28-26, capturing their first title at home in seven years on Sunday.
In Sydney, 2018 marked a successful year for Australia, as both their women’s and men’s teams claimed titles, but they were unable to replicate that achievement in Perth this time around.
Unfortunately, the men’s team faced a steep defeat in the final, where they were outmatched by the reigning champions, Argentina, with a score of 41-5.
The women’s team entered the final as slight underdogs, having lost two key players due to injuries sustained during the quarterfinals. Maddison Levi suffered a broken thumb, while Faith Nathan was sidelined with a concussion.
New Zealand, showcasing a powerful performance leading up to the final with an average of nearly 43 points per game, quickly took the lead when Michaela Brake scored just 30 seconds in.
The match turned into an exhilarating contest, highlighted by Australian teenager Heidi Dennis not only scoring a try but also assisting Tia Hinds to score as well. By halftime, New Zealand’s Kelsey Teneti equalized the score at 14-14 following a strong charge from teammate Sarah Hirini.
After the break, Australia was put ahead again by Charlotte Caslick, who made a significant break from her own side of the field, only for Brake to respond promptly, racing down the sideline to score her 254th try in the history of the world series. This achievement brings her within two tries of the women’s all-time record held by New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
Dennis added her second try in a display of resilience, matching the intensity set by captain Risi Pouri-Lane of New Zealand, who scored late in the game. However, Pouri-Lane’s unconverted kick in the crucial moments allowed Australia to cling to their narrow lead, marking the 29th cup final in this competitive rivalry.
“Couldn’t really have scripted it much better,” remarked Australian captain Bella Nasser. “It’s been a long time since we’ve won at home, and for many of the girls, this was their first experience playing in front of a home crowd.”
In the men’s final, the Australians were unable to stage a comeback after having knocked out Olympic champions France in the quarterfinals and defeating South Africa in an intense semifinal match that went to extra time.
Argentina had previously bested Australia in pool play, and they maintained that form in the final. Marcos Moneta opened the scoring early with a clever switch play, and Luciano Gonzalez capitalized on an Australian mistake at the restart to extend the lead. Santiago Alvarez added to the scoreline through a rare scrum tighthead, leading to a commanding 17-0 advantage by halftime.
Following a failed attempt at a kickoff that didn’t travel the required distance, Gonzalez scored once more. Matteo Graziano completed his hat trick, managing to score despite Australia’s effort, with Hadley Tonga adding Australia’s only score.
The outcome of the tournament led to a unique situation with three different winners across the three legs of the series—Fiji, Argentina, and an unexpected high-performing Spain—each emerging with equal points and ranked solely by point differential.
The next legs of the series will take place in Vancouver from February 21-23.