Olympics: USA nearly upsets New Zealand in women’s rugby

New Zealand sevens star Tyla Nathan-Wong has praised her side’s gutsy defensive effort following a tense 5-0 quarterfinal win over the USA.

The New Zealanders led 19-7 at half time with tries to Kelly Brazier, Huriana Manuel, Portia Woodman and Kayla McAlister.

Britain captain Emily Scarratt scored a second-half double as her team upstaged Canada 22-0 to top Pool C, scoring four tries against a team that hadn’t conceded a point in its opening two games. Tylia Nathan-Wong was yellow carded and sent from the field for two minutes.

World sevens series champion Australia rebounded from a surprising 12-12 draw with the United States in the last game of the pool stage to trounce Spain 24-0 and set up a semifinal match against Canada, which rallied to beat France 15-5 in the quarterfinals after dropping its last pool match to Britain.

“We call it the honey-badger attitude, we stuck to it, [defended] well, were patient and we ended up getting away with the win”. “In this instance, we were able to meet it and come out with a tie”, she said, adding that securing a quarterfinal spot had always been the target for Sunday. “And we’re not happy with a bronze or a silver”, – Australia coach Walsh is gunning for gold.

The changes did little to stem the attack when France put further distance between them and the Kenyans when Lina Guerin scored their fourth try and woman-of-the-match LePesq obliged with the kick for 28-7.

Litia Naiqato loped over the line with the ball in one hand to level the scores halfway through the first half but Britain responded with tries from Alice Richardson and Joanne Whatmore with Brown crossing again for the only score after the break.

Brazil won its first game of the tournament, with Beatriz Futuro Muhlbauer capping the victory by diving under the posts for her second try of the match against Japan directly in front of the biggest section of local fans, triggering raucous cheering in the nearly half-full temporary 15,000-seat stadium.

“In Fiji, traditionally we don’t eat the right things at the right times”.

Hosts Brazil, Colombia, Kenya and Japan were the teams to miss out on the knockout rounds.