SINGAPORE — In a thrilling display of skill and determination at the Singapore Sevens, the New Zealand women’s rugby team clinched the title with a commanding victory over Australia, shutting them down with a score of 31-7. Meanwhile, the Fijian men’s team celebrated their first triumph at the National Stadium in three years by defeating Kenya 21-12 in a hard-fought final.
Michaela Blyde kickstarted New Zealand’s success early, crossing the try-line after just 69 seconds, followed by Risi Pouri-Lane who broke through the defense to extend their lead to 12-0. New Zealand appeared set to head into halftime comfortably ahead, but Australia’s Maddison Levi capitalized on a turnover, narrowing the gap to five points just before the break.
The second half saw New Zealand reassert their dominance swiftly. Jazmin Felix-Hotham scored a try after a skillful grubber kick, and then masterfully set up Kelsey Teneti for another. Levi’s tenacity on defense prevented Teneti from scoring a second time by stripping the ball at the try-line. However, any hope Australia had of a comeback was dashed when Blyde, the record-holder for the most tries in the women’s world series, sealed the match with another score, reinforcing New Zealand’s dominance with a 20th victory in 29 finals against Australia.
In the men’s competition, Fiji faced Kenya in the final. As the match began, Kenya showed resilience, capitalizing on a loose ball kicked ahead by Vincent Onyala for Nygel Amaitsa to score in-goal, giving them a 7-0 lead by halftime. Despite maintaining a strong defensive stance, Kenya couldn’t withstand Fiji’s second-half resurgence.
Joseva Talacolo’s powerful play, breaking tackles to set up Vuiviwa Naduvalo for a try, evened the score quickly in the second half. As Kenya struggled with penalties and errors, Naduvalo added another try, pushing Fiji ahead 14-7. With time running out, Talacolo orchestrated a successful third try for Rauto Vakadranu, securing Fiji’s victory. Despite a late effort from Kenya’s William Mwanji, Fiji emerged as champions, with Naduvalo earning the player of the final honors for his outstanding performance, reminiscent of the last time Fiji won in Singapore in 2022.