Over 40,000 fans at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium were treated to four memorable quarter-finals featuring history being made, tries galore, nervous moments, and some big guns flexing their muscles.
QUARTER-FINALS
Maddison Levi rewrote the history books as Australia clinched a semi-final with France – with New Zealand and Canada to meet in the other last-four showdown – on a rip-roaring day two of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
Mercurial Aussies 7s star Levi scored in her side’s emphatic 45-5 quarter-final win over Fiji to overtake Portia Woodman-Wickliffe on the all-time try-scoring list and set a new record of 257 touchdowns.
Levi, 23, actually bagged a double to hit 258 tries and Tia Hinds also went over before Teagan Levi got in on the act with a double and Heidi Dennis scoring too.
Adi vani Buleki scored for Fiji but this was all about Australia and the record-breaking exploits of a delighted Maddison Levi.
She said modestly: “The main thing to celebrate is getting the win because we’re through to the semi-finals.
“It’s awesome to get these individual achievements but I have to thank the girls beside me and the goal for the weekend is to win gold in Hong Kong.”
New Zealand’s defence of their Hong Kong title is still on after they progressed to a semi-final against Canada with over 40,000 fans in attendance – a new record for Hong Kong sevens for a single day attendance.
The Black Ferns Sevens beat Spain 32-5 in the quarter-final to flash an ominous warning sign of their title pedigree.
Their tries came from Kelsey Teneti, Jorja Miller, Risi Pouri-Lane (two), Mahina Paul and Stacey Waaka with Spain replying through Carlota Caicoya.
Waaka called for improvements from her side in tomorrow’s semi-final against Canada, saying: “We need to be clinical in cutting out our errors.
“We’re giving away possession too much but if we focus on us then I think we’ll be sweet from there.”
France sealed their semi-final spot with a hard-earned 22-12 win over Japan.
Anne-Cecile Ciofani bagged a brace with Lilou Graciet and Kelly Arbey also on target and Honoka Tsutsumi and Himawari Matsuda scoring for Japan.
The first of the women's quarter-final saw Canada edge out rivals USA 19-7.
Charity Williams scored twice and Savannah Bauder also touched down with Ariana Ramsey replying for the USA.
NINTH-PLACED SEMI-FINALS
Great South American rivals Argentina and Brazil faced off in the first 9th Place Semi-Final – and it was the Brazilians who edged a hugely entertaining encounter 19-17.
Sofia Gonzalez and María Paula Pedrozo scored for Argentina either side of a try for Brazil by Thalia Costa.
Costa then claimed her second and Leila Silva added a third before Gonzalez’ second ensured a tense finish.
In the second 9th Place Semi-Final, Great Britain claimed an eye-catching 19-14 win over South Africa.
Reneeqa Bonner (two) and Ellen Scantlebury claimed GB's tries with Shanidine Bezuidenhout and Maria Tshiremba touching down for South Africa.
POOL A: Miller stars once again
Jorja Miller took her try tally to the weekend to six with a brace in New Zealand’s ruthless 38-0 win over Fiji.
The Fiji team wore black armbands as a mark of respect and remembrance to their nation’s former president Ratu Epeli Nailatikau following his recent passing at the age of 84.
Although Miller claimed centre stage, Risi Pouri-Lane, Jaymie Kolose, Stacey Waaka and Maia Davis were also on target for the Black Ferns Sevens.
Try-scorer Kolose said: “We were really pleased with that performance because we know that every game is a final from here.
“We knew Fijiana were a physical team, so our role was to hit them hard and get them to ground. I think we did that well.”
Japan wowed the Hong Kong crowd with a stunning 34-7 win over Brazil to seal their quarter-final spot.
Chiaki Saegusa, Natsuki Ouchida, Honoka Tsutsumi, Mei Ohtani and Wakana Akita (two) scored their tries with Leila Silva touching down in reply.
A delighted Japan head coach Yuka Kanematsu said: “I’m really relieved to get the win and the support from the Japan fans here in Hong Kong is fantastic.
“We feel so many people cheering for us and I’m really happy about it.”
POOL B: Aussie 7s beat Canada in a thriller
Maria Tshiremba claimed centre stage with a brace and Lerato Makua also got on the scoresheet as South Africa won 19-5 against Great Britain, whose sole try came from the prolific Katie Shillaker.
There was a closer affair next up as Australia edged out Canada 19-17 in a thriller with Faith Nathan claiming a delightful brace and Teagan Levi on the scoresheet again.
Canada’s tries came from Charity Williams (two) and Florence Symonds.
POOL C: France flex their muscles
Spain edged out Argentina 17-12 in the opening game of day two.
Juana Stella, Carmen Miranda Miralles and Denisse Gortazar with Talia Rodich and Marianela Escalante scoring in reply for Argentina.
Another close-fought battle in Pool C saw France beat USA 19-14.
Lou Noel, Anaick Konyi and Cleo Hagel scored for the French with Kaylen Thomas and Kristie Kirshe touching down for the Americans.