RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Neighbours Australia and New Zealand will meet to decide the first Olympic champions in women’s rugby sevens in Rio later on Monday after convincing semi-final victories over Canada and Britain, respectively.
Portia Woodman scored a hat-trick to take her tally to nine tries for the tournament as New Zealand powered past Britain 25-7 in the second semi-final under grey skies at the Deodoro Stadium.
Australia earlier had too much pace and guile for a tough-tackling Canada side and Emilee Cherry scored two first-half tries as the world series champions eased into the final 17-5.
New Zealand were off the mark quickly against Britain with Woodman showing off her remarkable finishing power by turning her marker and then skipping over the cover tackle to touch down in the corner.
A converted try from Alice Richardson put Britain briefly ahead but Ruby Tui soon stretched over the line to restore New Zealand’s lead and when Katy McLean and Amy Wilson Hardy were sent to the sin bin, Britain were playing with five women.
Woodman added her second off an overlap that inevitably followed and went over for her third soon after the break to secure her second hat-trick of the tournament.
Britain battle bravely for a second score but it was New Zealand who had the last word with Huriana Manuel nipping over to seal the victory.
Earlier, Canada set out their stall with some big early hits but Australia were soon on the scoreboard when Cherry was put through a gap in the red defensive line by a neat inside pass from Emma Tonegato.
Tonegato was again the provider when Cherry scored her second out wide on the stroke of halftime to give the top seeds a 12-0 lead at the break.
Chloe Dalton, who kicked one of three conversions, took advantage of an overlap to go over for the third try with little more than two minutes remaining and that rendered Charity Williams’s score for Canada a consolation.
(Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
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