AUSTRALIAN WOMEN SET FOR SEMI-FINAL SHOWDOWN AGAINST FRANCE IN SAN FRANCISCO
The Australian Women’s Sevens side have booked a semi-final showdown with France while the Men were knocked out of contention after day one of competition at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco.
The Women were the first to take to the field against Papua New Guinea and the 2017/18 HSBC World Series Champions were able to see off a tight start to cruise home in a comfortable 34-5 win.
Their quarter final showdown was against Spain, who knocked them out at the same stage of the event at the last World Cup in Moscow back in 2013. This time around the Aussies were far too strong as Evania Pelite scored a hat-trick in their 34-0 victory.
The side has now set up a semi-final with France on Sunday at 4:42am AEST.
Australian Women’s Sevens coach, John Manenti said: “Everyone did their job and when we do that we are playing good footy. I’m lucky to have options and I’ll have another think as to how we go about using them tonight.”
“France are on the up and up and I’ve been really impressed with them.
“They’ve gone through the roof and they offer a lot of threats,” Manenti said.
Australia 34 defeated Papua New Guinea 5
The Australians went in as heavy favourites against an unknown Papua New Guinean side and they got the scoring started early with Evania Pelite crossing inside 90 seconds. Superstar Emilee Cherry opened her account shortly after, gliding through the defensive line in trademark fashion. Charlotte Caslick showed she’s not just an attacking threat when she produced a superb pilfer in midfield, resulting in a try to Emma Tonegato to extend the lead further. PNG were keen for their first points though and when Chelsea Garesa hit the gas, no one could catch her to make make the score 15-5 at the break.
The second stanza started with PNG maintaining possession but the Aussie defence was able to cause an error to allow Caslick to capitalise with a five-pointer of her own. She had a double moments later before the introduction of Ellia Green saw the speedster nab her first try with a sensational 60-metre run down the sideline. The score finished 34-5, setting up a quarter final showdown against Spain.
Australia 34 defeated Spain 0
Their second task was to take on Spain, who knocked them out in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens at the same stage. Aussie gun Emilee Cherry stamped her authority on the match early with two instrumental touches, eventually allowing Evania Pelite to get the first points of the game. The Aussies then showed some real class when Alicia Quirk grubbered a kick through for a flying Emma Tonegato, who scored one of the tries of the day. Then entered Ellia Green, who did exactly what Ellia Green does and scored a try with one of her first touches of the footy to make the score 17-nil at the break.
The second half began just as the first ended as Tonegato earned a double after some super lead-up work from Charlotte Caslick down the right side of the field. Pelite then kicked it up a gear, scoring two tries in the final minutes to notch a hat-trick at AT&T Park. The final score, Australia 34, Spain 0.
The Australian Men had to face France in a round of 16 clash at AT&T Park with the French flogging Jamaica 50-nil earlier in the day. The lead changed hands several times with France eventually holding on for a 22-17 victory.
The Aussies will now play Russia in the Challenge quarter-final on Sunday at 7:48am AEST.
Australian Men’s Sevens coach, Tim Walsh said: “Everyone is hurting immensely but you can’t win games when you’re letting through that many breaks and missed tackles.”
“Even at the end there we have control of the ball and we turn it over.
“You can walk off the field and be proud with the way you play but I know the boys will be disappointed because that wasn’t our best and there were errors there which cost us.
“That’s the nature of the game,” Walsh said.
Australia 17 defeated by France 22
It was always going to be a danger match against a French side who warmed up nicely with a monster win over Jamaica earlier on day one, but it was the Aussies who came out quickest. Lachie Anderson scored the first try of the match after he chased down a superb grubber from Tom Lucas. France hit back almost immediately though when Tavite Veredamu sprinted 50-metres plus to score his side’s first. It was raining tries when Ben O’Donnell got his name on the scoresheet, finishing off a linebreak from livewire Maurice Longbottom. The French hit the front for the first time right before the break when Terry Bouhraoua crossed the stripe to make the score 12-10.
The start of the second half saw France with the better possession and the pressure eventually paid off when Kevin Bly crossed in the corner, capitalising on an overlap. The Aussies desperately needed a try and it was again Longbottom who provided the spark. He split the defence in two and found Henry Hutchison who scored in his return to the green and gold. John Porch nailed a conversion from the sideline to square the score with less than a minute on the clock. Just when it looked like being a tied game, France found another gear with Veredamu beating Lewis Holland on the outside to grab what eventually proved the matchwinner. The men in gold had one last crack but a knock on from Longbottom sounded the final whistle and the score finished 22-17.
Rugby World Cup Sevens day one results
Australian Women’s Sevens
Round of 16: Australia 34-5 Papua New Guinea
Quarter-final: Australia 34-0 Spain
Australian Men’s Sevens day one results
Round of 16: Australia 17-22 France
Related Posts
-
THE BEST OF AUSSIE RUGBY CROWNED AT 2024 RUGBY AUSTRALIA AWARDS
-
SLIPPER TO BECOME MOST CAPPED WALLABY OF ALL TIME IN BLEDISLOE ONE
-
Re-live the Cape Town rugby vibe for as little as R250 in December
« All Blacks Sevens to meet France in Rugby World Cup Sevens quarters Springbok Women’s Sevens miss out at RWC Sevens »
