Australia brushed off their shock pool phase loss to USA on day two to claim the title in Valladolid with a dominant performance in the final and leapfrog New Zealand at the top of the HSBC SVNS World Championship table heading into the final tournament in Bordeaux
Having stunned New Zealand with a comeback win in the last four of an appetite-whetting opening match on a thrilling final day in Valladolid, Australia finished the job with a comprehensive performance in the final to lift the trophy in north-west Spain.
The Black Ferns Sevens bounced back from their shock semi-final loss to claim third, Kelsey Teneti scoring five of their tries in a dominant win over Canada.
New Zealand, along with the two finalists, have guaranteed their places on the HSBC SVNS Series next season.
Final: Dennis steps up as Australia dominate
Already without the services of Maddison Levi who suffered a tournament-ending injury on Saturday, Australia also suffered the late withdrawal of playmaker Tia Hinds shortly before kick-off.
But Australia rode their absences in tournament-winning style as they avenged their day two defeat to USA with a convincing 27-14 win over the same opponents in the final.
Heidi Dennis darted over for the opening score of the game, and Faith Nathan added two of her own before USA had enough ball to fire a shot of their own.
They had 17 points on the board before Ariana Ramsey found an answer in USA’s first attack of the game with six minutes gone – and there was still time for player-of-the-final Dennis to score her second before the break.
USA showed more bite and threat in the second half, but were held at bay by an organised Australian defence. Even when they did break, Dennis in particular performed heroics without the ball.
Teagan Levi put the final beyond doubt with 12 minutes on the clock, before Erica Coulibaly had the final consolation word for USA.
Dennis acknowledged Australia used the hurt of their pool phase defeat as motivation to set the record straight in the final. “We know we didn’t play to our best ability in [the pool] game. So to have a second chance to come out here and beat him, it was a great opportunity and we capitalised on it,” she told RugbyPass.
“We really focused on our defence, kick deep and press and hold them. And we just executed that. It was great.”
Semi-finals: Shave cuts down Black Ferns Sevens
A match-up that has graced every final so far this HSBC SVNS season would have graced the showpiece in Valladolid. Instead the fans were given an early taste of the thrilling day in store, as the two best sides on the series attacked and countered from the outset.
New Zealand raced into an early lead, via Mahina Paul and Stacey Waaka – but with 20 seconds left on the clock, Tia Hinds converted Kaitlin Shave’s touchdown, the eighth of an end-to-end match, to take Australia into a 28-26 lead.
“I just saw the ball come out and I was just like, I need to catch this. I thought it was a bit hot so I was like, I’ve just got to catch and brace myself,” Shave told RugbyPass in Valladolid.
“Once I knew I was free I had a little bit of a smile because I knew that we were able to put us back in the race.”
After six losses on the bounce to their greatest rivals in HSBC SVNS finals this season, Australia repeated their heroics in Madrid two years ago and finished on top in the last four in north-west Spain.
If the first semi-final was a thrilling punch-counter-punch encounter, the second was no-less enthralling for the lack of scores. USA gutsed their way to a second meeting this weekend with Australia, battling back from 12-0 down at the break to win 14-12 courtesy of touchdowns from debutant Sereana Vulaono, and Kaylen Thomas – less than a minute from time.
“It was amazing – it took all of us – every single second,” a delighted Thomas told RugbyPass TV immediately after the match.
Play-off places: Five-star Teneti ensures New Zealand finish third
New Zealand didn’t want to play for third in Valladolid, but didn’t show it, with Kelsey Teneti scoring five tries in a 50-14 victory over Canada.
Alycia Christiaens scored in each half as France ran in five tries to beat Japan 29-12 and claim fifth place in Valladolid.
Tries from Verenaisi Ditavutu and Mariana Talatoka bagged seventh place for Fiji with a 14-5 win over hosts Spain.
South Africa claimed ninth with a 19-12 win over Brazil, thanks to tries from Ayanda Malinga, Maceala Samboya, and Zintle Mpupha.
A late Great Britain fightback was in vain as Argentina wrapped up 11th place with a 24-19 win.