There was no doubt among the players about women’s rugby belonging at the Olympics.
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Rugby returned to the Olympics after a 92-year hiatus this year. Potter didn’t let a narrow loss to Fiji in the opening game overshadow her big day, helping the Americans rally with a big win over Colombia to stay in contention for the quarterfinals.
No one ever said winning an Olympic medal is easy but Team Canada made things infinitely more hard for themselves in their final game of pool play at the women’s Olympic rugby sevens tournament.
Carlyle, 26, has been a mainstay with the US sevens ever since, being part of squads that were third in the World Cup sevens in Moscow in 2013 and have had strong finishes in Women’s Seven World Series action, including a second and two fourths. “We are adding dynamism to 15s in areas that we do not have as strong presence”, said Mark Egan, the body’s head of competitions and performance.
“The good thing is that all of the female referees from around the world talk to each other when we are at various tournaments and we are always exchanging ideas, passing on tips and encouraging each other”.
“In terms of percentage of sales, we believe that we are around two-thirds in terms of sales, which is at a high clip”.
And so they are. The quarter-finals are Sunday afternoon, and the medal games go Monday. The top two teams in each of the three groups advance, and the two teams with the best third-place records will also make the playoffs.
The All Blacks knew that they will be in for a tough match against competitors such as teams from Fiji, South Africa, Great Britain and Australia.
New Zealand and Australia also had lopsided wins, New Zealand beating Kenya 52-0 in Pool B and the Aussies routing Colombia 53-0 in Pool A.
Walsh was also pleased to come through day one with no injuries as backline linchpin Emilee Cherry overcame her hamstring strain to play, and fully test it out against Fiji with a 60m sprint to score.
CHERRY READY?: The Australians are likely to give former world player of the year Emilee Cherry until the last minute to prove her fitness after she strained a hamstring in a practice session early in the week.
While a third pool game against the U.S. is to come, the world series champions are nearly certain to play Spain in the last eight and avoid arch-rivals New Zealand in Monday’s semi-finals.
Kelter, the former captain of the U18 hockey team, is one of 12 players who will represent Team USA when women’s rugby is played for the first time ever at the Olympics beginning with a pair of US matches against Fiji at noon ET and Colombia at 5 p.m. ET.
“Our national member unions have embraced the Olympic opportunity, and, with dramatic growth in new and emerging rugby nations”, Beaumont said.
So sure in the product was World Rugby, that chairman Bill Beaumont expects a huge upsurge in interest from the Olympic TV coverage.
Griffin packs down beside Potter in the scrums, so has a close view of the technical qualities and experience her teammate brings into the game.
“That’s my favorite part”, she said, “coming on with fresh legs at half to cause a scene”.
“We’ve been trying to normalize it as much as possible, and make it like any other tournament”, said Ashley Steacy.
“They’re pretty wonderful, just the connection they have”, US forward Kathryn Johnson said.
“Everyone has had their own path”.
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“Putting your foot on the grass”, Johnson said, “you’re making history”.
