Aussies hammer Kiwis in decider
Australia’s women have broken a run of five losses to New Zealand, powering to a 31-0 victory in the final of the Sydney Sevens.
Remarkably, for the first time in women’s World Series history, Australia did not concede a point across six games to back up their dominant round one victory in Dubai last December.
Shannon Parry opened the scoring after Australia had forced a turnover just 5m from the New Zealand line.
The hosts then held firm in defence and rammed home the advantage on halftime when Charlotte Caslick darted from the ruck for her eighth try of the tournament.
A yellow card for Tyla NathanWong early in the second half didn’t help New Zealand’s cause.
Ellia Green then sprinted clear for Australia’s third try, before Evania Pelite crossed to make it 24-0 with three minutes to play.
More smothering defence set up Australia’s final try with Emma Sykes crossing under the black dot to cap a brutally dominant display.
After beating their transtasman rivals to claim gold at the 2016 Olympics, Australia lost five straight games against New Zealand before yesterday’s rout.
It is a massive boost ahead of the side’s next competitive outing at April’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Australia’s win also completed a miserable day for the New Zealand teams.
Earlier, error-prone New Zealand were stymied 24-12 by Australia in the quarter-finals of the men’s event.
Conceding two late tries in both halves, the All Blacks Sevens paid for numerous mistakes which were pounced on by the unbeaten tournament hosts.
It means New Zealand won’t repeat their win from the previous tournament in Cape Town and will lose their overall series lead to South Africa.
Clark Laidlaw’s team had vowed to bounce back from a tense 19-17 pool loss to Fiji late on day two but they produced their worst performance of the tournament.
Trailing 12-7 at halftime, Vilimoni Koroi’s second try levelled the score and gave New Zealand momentum.
However, the hosts surged home through tries to Maurice Longbottom and captain Lewis Holland.
Dynamic playmaker Koroi was exceptional for New Zealand but didn’t have enough support throughout the three-day tournament.
The brief bench appearances of former rugby league age group star Etene Nanai-Seturo suggested a bright future for the 18-year-old.
Russia’s women’s sevens captain Alena Mikhaltsova has been hit with an eight-game suspension for a kick to Australia star Pelite’s face yesterday.
The ugly incident was not penalised at the time, but was reported post-game with the skipper lucky to escape the maximum 12-game charge for the offence.
Mikhaltsova can appeal the ban, which will see her miss the next World Series leg in Japan in April.
The incident came late in the first half as the Russian looked to skip out of Pelite’s low tackle. Mikhaltsova’s kick glanced Pelite’s head, which was already strapped up after an earlier knock.
Pelite clutched at her face but didn’t take the issue any further as the Australians piled on the points in a 31-0 semifinal win.
Mikhaltsova tested positive for banned substance meldonium in 2016, the same drug that led to Maria Sharapova’s 15-month suspension from competitive tennis.