New Zealand do the double in Sydney
In a thrilling final day of play at the HSBC Sydney Sevens, the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens combined to claim double gold and take the lead in the Sevens World Series standings.
It is the second time this season the teams have joined in celebration, both claiming Dubai Sevens crowns in December.
The Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens opened the day with dominant performances, 29-5 and 28-5 wins respectively.
The Black Ferns Sevens, without injured vice-captain Tyla Nathan-Wong, were composed in their semi-final performance against USA, crossing for three tries either side of half time.
The win set up a repeat Final showdown against Australia, the teams meeting in the Sydney Sevens decider last year which is the last match that the Black Ferns Sevens tasted defeat.
It was five all after early exchanges before the Black Ferns Sevens launched, Michaela Blyde running in three tries and Stacey Waaka nabbing a brace on the way to a 34-10 victory.
Waaka was named Player of the Final, while Blyde received the UL Mark of Excellence for her Finals hattrick.
Coach Allan Bunting said the maiden World Series title on Australian soil was sweet.
“It doesn’t get much harder than beating Australia in Australia, and we hadn’t won the Sydney event before so it’s a great moment.
“This weekend has definitely tested our depth and it has been really pleasing to see everyone step up and put in performances they can be proud of,” said Bunting.
After a quarterfinal victory over France the All Blacks Sevens set up a thrilling semifinal encounter against series-leaders Fiji, and had to do so without the services of co-captain Tim Mikkelson who was ruled out after failing a concussion test.
The All Blacks Sevens built a performance from a composed defensive effort and managed to silence a Fijian team who had looked unstoppable over the past two weeks.
Capitalising on a Fijian red card, the All Blacks Sevens ran in six tries, Vilimoni Koroi and Kurt Baker both crossing twice on the way to the 36-14 victory.
In the Cup Final, the All Blacks Sevens faced USA, who had bundled them out of the Hamilton tournament just a week prior.
Down to just 10 players, the All Blacks Sevens produced another determined defensive effort that laid the platform for the 21-5 victory. Sam Dickson was named Player of the Final.
Sarah Hirini, Gayle Broughton, Kurt Baker and Sam Dickson were named in the respective Tournament Dream Teams.
The golden effort sees both teams claim full points for the overall series standings, the Black Ferns Sevens leading the Women’s Series and the All Blacks Sevens sit in equal first position with USA.
Comments on RugbyPass
Honest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
207 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
18 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
18 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
207 Go to comments“Teams would generally have three coaches below their head honcho; attack coach, defence coach, forwards coach” do they? I’m not sure what the NZ set up is tbh, but the other 4 sides top 5 sides all have very different structures to the one outlined in the article! As well as attack, defence, and forwards coaches, SA, Ireland, and France also have specialist scrum coaches. England have a specialist scrum coach too, but arguably don’t have a forwards coach, with that role taken on by Borthwick. SA also have a backs coach in addition to defence and attack, and Ireland and England have fitness coaches, with England also having two skills coaches.
2 Go to commentsWorst article I've read in a while. Trying to disguise a backhand slap as a compliment. The whole article is a bit weird and negative. I think South African men are emotional in general… think Clad le Clos’s father 2012 London Olympics.
2 Go to commentsIreland are going to win the world cup.
18 Go to commentsIt was the strangest result ever. Etzebeth should've been yellow card for his cynical retiring move and a penalty try. Birth second half tries by the Allblacks were fantastic and the TMO operating outside the law to rule out the first try was egregious. Yes, the boks got the win but it was through some bizarre officiating that allowed them to sneak home against 14 men that dominated them. The quieter Bok supporters know and acknowledge the Allblacks were the better and dominant side. Justifying the win because they beat a pre world cup Allblacks selection is silly.
207 Go to commentsA very English thing to do hey Courtney, blerrie kant
4 Go to commentsIt sounds like Andrew is trying to convince himself or has just lost all perspective. The team did look jaded for the last couple of games of the six nations but a few things were wrong there. Italy tackled their hearts out and made Ireland work hard for every try. Outsmarted by Scotland? Huh? Ireland got held up over the line about 4 times. Scotland did nothing on attack the whole game other than one breakaway near the end. A recharge and reset is needed which they hopefully will have had before the SA your.
18 Go to commentsIncluding SA and Argie teams was great for the quality of rugby, but middle of the night games and player travel/ jet lag make that unworkable. I think that SA in Europe and Argie building an American league with USA, Canada etc would be better long term. If Oz can't sustain Rebels then next cab off the rank should be a Japanese team. Keep regional comps to time zones, both club and test rugby. Then existing test windows for test tours plus RWC.
6 Go to commentsMisogynists have feelings too!
2 Go to commentsCrowd sizes of the URC v the Premiership must be a big factor.
1 Go to commentsWell you’ve made a proper tit of yourself, haven’t you! 😂
173 Go to commentsBen it's beyond their comprehension-
207 Go to commentsThanks Sam. Interesting read. Harder or easier for Parling to come into a completely new setup where performance was abysmal last time out? I’d suggest easier to be better but, as you suggest, will be a lot to do with how much latitude he’s granted. Hopefully all he needs. With hybrids like Holloway, Hannigan, Swinton and Leota as options at 6 we have the basics for a strong lineout. BPA returning means we have good options at 2 also with Faessler, Porecki and Uelese, although Jordan is a scrumming beast rather than a dart thrower. I’m typically a pessimist or realist but that’s never applied to the Wallabies
2 Go to commentsMad how this somehow contained absolutely zero information.
4 Go to commentsI’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
3 Go to comments