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Australia women set for blockbuster final against arch-rivals New Zealand
One Australia team will challenge for Cup final glory in Singapore with the women’s side sneaking by France in a semi-final thriller, but the men will fight it out for bronze after falling to arch-rival New Zealand on Sunday.
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Without Olympic gold medallists Charlotte Caslick and Sharni Smale, as well as rising stars Bienne Terita and Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, the Aussie women’s side have qualified for their first decider since the Los Angeles Sevens in early March.
Australia were practically flawless during three eye-catching wins in pool play with younger players stepping up and having their voices heard. The women in gold beat Brazil and Great Britain, but a 60-nil win over Fiji was particularly a statement.
The Aussies continued to impress in the knockout rounds with a 24-14 win over SVNS Perth champions Ireland in Saturday’s quarter-final, and they backed that effort up with a hard-fought victory over Series rivals France.
Montserrat Amedee scored the first points of the contest in just the second minute for Les Bleues Sevens, but the French wouldn’t score again until Lou Noel’s effort late in the second half. It was a tense battle that could’ve gone either way.
Try-scoring machine Maddison Levi and Faith Nathan contributed for the Aussies who were locked at 12-all with time practically up on the clock, and it was the in-form Nathan who once again shone to snatch it at the death.
“Don’t get tackled and just score the fr***ing try,” Nathan told RugbyPass with a laugh when asked about what she thought as she ran away for the long-range match-winner.
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The Aussies will take on arch-rivals New Zealand in a blockbuster Cup final later on Sunday, with the winner set to be crowned the SVNS Series’ League Winners at the Singaporean venue.
New Zealand booked their spot in the decider with a somewhat emphatic 33-22 win over a valiant Fiji outfit, and considering they’ve won the last three Cup finals this season, the Kiwis certainly present a tough challenge.
“It’s always unreal playing against the Black Ferns. They’re so fr***ing strong,” Nathan explained.
“But just to see our players develop as young players because we’re a fresh kind of squad not having our older girls here.
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“Playing against France is never easy, it’s always a tough battle against us too, but it’s good to get that win.”
As for the men’s team, who are missing injured duo Henry Patterson and Teddy Wilson, as well as James Turner who has returned home for the birth of his child, they fought tough but pulled up short against a familiar foe on Sunday.
The Aussies had lost to the All Blacks Sevens in pool play, but after sneaking by South Africa in a golden-point thriller on Saturday evening, they would have a chance to make amends in a blockbuster Trans-Tasman semi-final.
Nathan Lawson scored the first points of the contest in the third minute but it was practically all New Zealand from there with Kitiona Vai and Fehi Fineanganofo scoring.
Playmaker Dietrich Roache hit back just after Fineanganofo’s effort, but another All Blacks Sevens try to Brady Rush sent the Aussies packing. They’ll face a motivated Great Britain outfit in the final men’s third-placed playoff in the regular season.
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Comments on RugbyPass
‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
1 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to commentsOne tough SOB!
16 Go to commentsI’ve put on 4/5 kilos since the beginning of the season too. Not good kilos. Bad kilos.
7 Go to commentsSurely there’s a ‘no knobheads’ policy ?
3 Go to commentsWallaroos have no chance of beating the Black Ferns unless Canada upsets them in Christchurch tomorrow but I doubt that as well!
1 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Could the victim do a course to reverse the long term CTE damage from the cheapshot?
2 Go to comments