New Zealand beat Australia to complete Hong Kong Sevens four-peat

New Zealand have completed a four-peat at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, hanging on for a 19-14 win against Australia on Sunday. Black Ferns Sevens captain Risi Pouri-Lane led the team to the title at Kai Tak Sports Park, named the Player of the Final.

This was the seventh time in as many events this season the Black Ferns Sevens and Australia have met in a Cup Final, with the New Zealanders claiming silverware at every stop except for SVNS Cape Town last December.

The Black Ferns Sevens were crowned HSBC SVNS Series regular season champions, but the new-look World Championship Series saw the standings reset. Hong Kong China was the first of three stops to determine the World Championship winners.

New Zealand and Australia both went through pool play unbeaten and recorded convincing wins during the knockout rounds. France defeated Canada 31-7 in the battle for third, before fans shifted their focus to the big dance.

Madison Ashby caught the kick-off and immediately threw a long-range pass infield to fellow co-captain Isabella Nasser. It took the Australians about 40 seconds to make it past the halfway line, with New Zealand conceding a couple of penalties early on.

Australia controlled possession for the better part of two minutes before a Kaitlan Shave knock-on saw the Black Ferns Sevens set up for their first attacking opportunity of the decider, packing down for a scrum just inside their half.

The Black Ferns Sevens threw the ball around frantically, going from left to right and back again as they looked to break through the golden defensive wall. Australia scrambled well, but the New Zealanders ultimately struck first through a long-range Mahina Paul effort.

Paul danced through past Australian defenders with some fast footwork before racing about 50 metres to the house for the opening points. Pouri-Lane added the extras from right in front, and the New Zealanders looked more confident as the match went on.

After winning the restart, the Black Ferns Sevens again shared the ball around, before two-time Olympic gold medallist Stacey Waaka broke downfield. Waaka was chased by Shave, but managed to keep the play alive with a pass.

Jorja Miller, who led the RugbyPass Women’s SVNS Series MVP leaderboard after the six regular season events, crossed for the team’s second try of the final. Maddison Levi attempted a try-saving tackle but Miller remained composed close to the line.

Australia hit back immediately through one of their co-captains, with Nasser getting the ball inside the defensive 22 before spotting a gap. The Queenslander pinned the ears back, running into space with no New Zealand defenders nearby.

Following a collision in the air off the second-half restart, Australia went down to six players for a couple of minutes. Teagan Levi was shown a yellow card, while the Black Ferns Sevens set up for a set-piece play off a scrum.

Olive Watherson was stopped a metre shy of the line by a Heidi Dennis try-saving tackle, before Tia Hinds got over the ball to win a pilfer penalty. But possession would again change hands after Pouri-Lane won a penalty at the breakdown.

Pouri-Lane took a quick tap inside the red zone, passing the ball onto Miller who sent Kelsey Teneti over for a crucial five-pointer. But the conversion attempt sailed wide left of the posts, holding New Zealand’s lead to 12 with less than five to play.

Maddison Levi touched down for a last-minute try, which made it a one-score game, but the Black Ferns Sevens hung on for the win. Valladolid will host the second stop of the World Championship Series next month, before the season finale in Bordeaux.