RUGBY SEVENS: The Australian Women’s Sevens team have qualified for the Quarter Finals with two wins from three at the Las Vegas 7s on Friday (local time).
Australia were looking to bounce back after a disappointing campaign in Sydney last month and overcame England and Brazil but fell to arch rivals New Zealand, to book a place in the Quarter Final against Fiji. The two sides will face-off tomorrow morning Australia time, at 4.06am AEDT.
Australia started the day at frenetic pace with Emilee Cherry grabbing a hat-trick of tries and Ellia Green back to her try-scoring best. A neck injury to Chloe Dalton was the only injury blow to the Aussie7s on Day One with Dalton being taken to hospital for precautionary scans.
Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens Coach Tim Walsh said: “We started the day really well and had a much-improved performance from Sydney. We defended really well, particularly in the second game and showed some real flair.
“Coming back against New Zealand to pull it back to 14-all then to have them score against the run of play from the kick off was frustrating.
“Mahalia Murphy is getting better and better at each tournament and she is adding new layers to her game. Ellia Green was back to her best. She was really destructive in both attack and defence and created opportunities.
“We are feeling good heading into tomorrow. We improved game on game. We’ll rest up and get ready for Fiji tomorrow.”
On the injury to Chloe Dalton caused by a high clean out around the head and neck at the breakdown, Walsh said: "That is the exact thing they are trying to eradicate from the game. For us to suffer that and we didn’t even get a penalty from it was very disappointing.
"That kind of offence needs to eradicated from the game and I know that the referees are making that a focus point."
Australia 31 defeated England 14
The Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens team began their campaign in Las Vegas in impressive fashion, with Emilee Cherry grabbing a hat-trick in a 31-14 win over England. England scored first through captain Abbie Brown but Australia put their foot to the floor shortly after with some brilliant interplay between Alicia Quirk and Cherry. Dalton was the next to combine with Cherry, as the pair put on a one-two passing display to tear through England's midfield and give Australia the lead at half-time.
The scoring continued in the second half as Ellia Green entered the fray and scored with her first touch after a fierce right-hand fend allowed her to race away 80 metres for the try. Cherry completed her hat-trick shortly after but it was Green with the last say, scoring after the full-time siren to cap an impressive 31-14 victory.
Australia 38 defeated Brazil 0
It was a slower start to the second game with both sides coughing up possession early. Evania Pelite relishing her first minutes in Las Vegas shortly after, as she sliced through to open the scoring. Australia then turned it up a gear, with both Emma Tonegato and Mahalia Murphy scoring to give the Aussie 7s a 19-nil lead at the break.
Ellia Green saw yellow after a dangerous tackle early in the second half but Brazil couldn't stop the onslaught despite Australia being down to six on the field. Cherry grabbed two tries in quick succession to take her Las Vegas tally to five, before Ellia Green returned from the sin bin to race away down the right edge to score on the stroke of full-time.
Australia 14 were defeated by New Zealand 21
There was no love lost between the two sides as they played their final pool match of Day One of the USA7s. It took five minutes for the first points to be scored with Portia Woodman finally able to crack the Australian defence. A second late try to New Zealand extended the Black Ferns lead to 0-14. With the half time siren ringing throughout the stadium, Emilee Cherry showed some individual brilliance to score next to the posts - her 95th career try – and take the score to 7-14 at half time.
Australia started the second half in a fiery fashion with Charlotte Caslick blitzing the New Zealand defence to run 40 metres to level the match 14-all. A defensive error off the kick off allowed New Zealand to retake the lead 14-21 in a moment of frustration for the Aussie 7s. Chloe Dalton, who had been immense in defence in the first half, got caught high at a breakdown and was stretchered for precautionary scans to her neck. When play continued Australia was not able to gain any ascendancy over the New Zealanders and were forced to defend waves of attack. New Zealand held onto possession of the ball to kick it into touch to ensure they topped Pool C.
Las Vegas 7s Women’s Day One Results:
Australia 31-14 England
Australia 38-0 Brazil
Australia 14-21 New Zealand
Australian Rugby Union
