Cherry on top for Aussie 7s women
RUGBY SEVENS: Darling Downs players have helped Australia make history in the Sydney 7s tournament at the weekend.
Australia’s women’s sevens side bounced back from a disappointing 2016/17 season to thrash New Zealand 31-0 in the final at Allianz Stadium.
The 12-player Aussie squad included Downs trio Emilee Cherry, Georgina Friedrichs and Dominique Du Toit.
Cherry was a star playmaker throughout the whole tournament scoring four tries while Friedrichs notched up two.
Roma product Cherry now tops Australia’s all-time list of women’s 7s try scorers with 118 career tries.
This time last year Australia was knocked out of the semi-finals in their maiden home tournament.
But after five straight defeats to New Zealand, Australia dominated in Sydney and ran in consecutive tries against their World Series rivals.
By keeping New Zealand scoreless Australia also became the first team to go through a World Series without conceding a point.
Australia scored a staggering 213 points throughout the six-match tournament.
The Australian women’s sevens team has made history, and secured a major dose of redemption, by smashing New Zealand in the final of the Sydney Sevens tournament.
A year after they lined up in their home tournament as Olympic champs but crashed to a fourth-place finish, the Australians powered home with a 31-0 win over their main rivals at Allianz Stadium yesterday.
The victory means they remain unbeaten after two legs of the world series which is only fitting after they produced the most dominant tournament performance in women’s sevens history.
Australia scored a whopping 213 points in six games in Sydney at the weekend and did not concede a single point. Since the women’s world series began in 2012, no team has ever before gone an entire tournament without conceding a point.
Australia got on the board in yesterday’s final after early defensive pressure yielded a turnover.
Australian vice-captain Shannon Parry made the most of the opportunity, enjoying a clear run to the tryline to touch down after just 90 seconds.
The rest of the half was intensely fought but Australia had the last chance with the ball and Charlotte Caslick (pictured) found an unmarked open side to race down and score a second try after the half-time hooter had sounded.
Ellia Green snared a third try soon after the restart of play, following a break by Emilee Cherry and the floodgates stayed open, with Evania Pelite and Emma Sykes running in more tries.
Australia’s men had last night reached the semi-finals, against Argentina.