1
It isn't just Australia's Super teams that are getting swept by NZ
By AAP
The Australian men's and women's rugby sevens teams have suffered heavy series defeats to New Zealand in a warm-up event for the Tokyo Olympics.
Played over three days in Auckland, the tournament confirmed New Zealand as favourites for men's and women's gold in Tokyo.
Australia were swept in the men's series 6-0 after New Zealand secured 36-5 and 31-14 victories on Sunday.
The tournament's format was played under a schedule template that will be similar to the Tokyo Games in July.
Backing up after a pulsating late match at Eden Park on Saturday night when the Kiwis came back from 19-0 down to steal a 26-19 victory in the final minute, New Zealand went straight to work in the final game.
With both sides fielding their best teams in their first international fixtures since the Vancouver Sevens in March, 2020, Nick Chapman started an Australian rally and the scores were level at halftime, 14-14.
The All Blacks sevens started the second ha lf like the first, re-establishing their lead when Andrew Knewstubb scored their third try.
New Zealand went further in front when Vilimoni Koroi strolled in as three days of competition started to take its toll on the Australians.
The Australian women fared only marginally better despite opening the series with a 19-15 win on Friday.
They lost the next five matches, culminating in 33-12 and 24-12 defeats on Sunday for a 5-1 series scoreline.
The Australian women beat New Zealand to take the gold medal when sevens was first contested at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
But they found it tough going against their trans-Tasman neighbours at the weekend.
Black Ferns comeback winger Portia Woodman secured a hat-trick in Sunday's first game after Australia took an early 7-0 lead.
Woodman also crossed in the sixth game as part of a four-tries-to two victory.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Rassie Erasmus holds the solution to England's Jamie George conundrum
3
The Springboks have something you don't have
4
'I don't think Borthwick picks Willis even if he's playing in England'
5
Latest Comments
You have to have dreams to reach for the stars, but without believing it, it won't ever happen. It's one thing to say things to the media, quite another to believe what you regurgitate just for the journalists and the public. No one is fooled, and it's the one game they knew Wales will get smashed. The Boks won 10 games without being at their best. Even on their baddest day they will smash this Wales team.
I don't really blame the players. I blame the WRU. Their best players is not available due to restrictions, small change as pay and an overly believe in their own power that amounts to nothing. Get rid of them and Gatland, and maybe their will be an upwards curve. They will lose against the Boks, and also all the games in the 6N if they keep the current board. Italy will be able to smash them.
Go to commentsFrance is starting to look like they are finally over their WC headache, although they were lucky that NZ had a very bad game. The Argies as usual is one game good, the next bad. If they can sort that out and be more consistent, they could become contenders for the WC.
NZ, Argentina (if they are more consistent), and now the Wallabies too is in an upward curve (can they be consistent?), as well as Fiji(as inconsistent as Argentina) looks like possible contenders. The Boks will be as usual a huge threat to defend their title. Things are looking up for the South, so the North should rightfully beware of the Southern Hemisphere threat.
With the French looking dangerous, the English with their close runs (mostly a mindset problem) and the Scottish seems to be the NH main contenders. The Irish is good, but not excellent anymore. They are more overbearing and with their glory days mostly gone with old players hanging on by a thread, by 2027 if they don't start adding in the younger players, they won't make it past yet another WC Quarter final. The problem is that their youngsters, while good is nothing special.
That is just 8 teams without the Irish that can become real WC contenders. Lots of hickups to be sorted still for these teams, excluding the Boks to become a threat. Make no mistake, the top Tier is much closer than people realise and the 2027 WC will be a really great WC, possibly the best contended WC ever.
Go to comments