NZ defend sevens title
them not to score against us we’re bloody proud of the effort from the Sisters,’’ Goss said.
The World Cup win caps a special couple of months for the team that won the Commonwealth Games gold medal on the Gold Coast in April.
New Zealand failed to convert any of the three first-half tries to Blyde, Portia Woodman and Tyla Nathan-Wong but still took a dominant 15-0 lead into the break.
The physical France side held the Black Ferns scoreless for the majority of the second half.
But if the game was not secure at halftime, it was when Blyde scored her second with two minutes left to extend the lead to 22-0. Blyde, who scored nine tries in the tournament, went on to score a third in the dying seconds.
Earlier, the Ferns secured a thrilling 26-21 win over hosts United States, after trailing 14-12 at halftime in the semifinal.
The New Zealand men’s team also progressed, despite poor discipline threatening to derail in their campaign.
Joe Ravouvou, Tim Mikkelson and Dylan Collier were sent to the sinbin at various stages of their 12-7 win against France in the quarterfinals. They will now meet Fiji, who cruised past Argentina 43-7.
South Africa were to face England in the other men’s semi.
‘‘For them not to score against us we’re bloody proud of the effort from the Sisters.’’