Watch: Brazil's Thalia Costa makes try-scoring history on SVNS Series
Speedster Thalia da Silva Costa made history on Friday evening by becoming the first Brazilian woman to score 100 career tries on the HSBC SVNS Series. Costa was stuck on 99 after an earlier effort against New Zealand, but it didn’t take the sevens icon long to go one better.
As a trailblazer for both women’s rugby around the world and Brazilian rugby itself, Costa has long been a core member of the Yaras Sevens. The SVNS Series try-scoring phenomenon has always been a shining light for the team, even when results haven’t gone their way.
Costa, who has twice represented Brazil at the Olympic Games, came into the third SVNS Series event of the season in Perth on 98 career tries. After scoring in the seventh minute against New Zealand, it set the stage for a shot at history late on day one in Perth.
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Brail were drawn against Japan in their second pool match at SVNS Perth. Japan got the job done 14-7 over defending SVNS Perth champions Ireland on Friday and they were always going to be a tough opponent for the Yaras Sevens to contend with.
With thousands watching on at HBF Park, it was Costa and Brazil who struck first as the pioneer of sevens rugby crossed for that history-making five-pointer in the second minute. Costa wasn’t done there either, with the 27-year-old completing a double in the fourth minute.
“A magic moment” 😍✨#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER https://t.co/MQm1tGhxMo pic.twitter.com/Uz8ZfUrrsd
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) January 24, 2025
Brazilian brilliance at 💯
A landmark moment for Thalia Costa 🇧🇷#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER pic.twitter.com/UUSCOktrX4
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) January 24, 2025
Understandably, these were moments to savour and celebrate as Costa etched her name into the history books once again. “History made for Brazilian rugby with 100 tries for Thalia Costa,” commentator Rikki Swannell would later say on the broadcast.
But, unfortunately for Brazil, they wouldn’t score any more points during this fixture as Japan clawed their way back and eventually took control. Honoka Tsutsumi scored late in the first term, and it was one-way traffic after the break as they ran away with a 19-12 win.
Marin Kajiki and Suzuha Okamoto both scored a try each, while two conversions from Hana Nagata saw Japan build a strong lead. While Brazil unleashed one last desperate attempt to level the scores in the dying stages it wasn’t to be in the end.
But aside from the result itself, this is still a historic day for Brazil Rugby.
In other women’s results on day one at SVNS Perth, both Canada and the USA recorded wins over Fiji and Great Britain which sets the stage for an unmissable North American showdown on Saturday to determine who tops Pool B.
Cape Town winners New Zealand were also in fine form. After their 50-7 win over Costa’s Brazil, the Black Ferns Sevens backed that up with a commanding win over defending SVNS Perth champions Ireland in one of the last women’s games on Friday.
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