The second session of matches featured the following matchups: Ireland vs. South Africa, Australia vs. Great Britain, United States vs. Brazil, France vs. Japan, Fiji vs. China, and New Zealand vs. Canada. Pool play will continue Monday with the final match to determine the classification and quarterfinal matchups. Check the overall pool standings here.
United States vs. Brazil
The U.S. started the day exactly how they wanted with a big win and was looking to do the same against Brazil. That’s exactly what happened as four try scorers led the Americans to a 24-5 win over Brazil.
Veteran Alev Kelter started the scoring for the U.S. with a brutal stiff arm to Thalia Costa. Moments later, after a nice passing sequence, Ariana Ramsey almost scored her first try of the tournament but was tackled just short of the try line.
In a demonstration of the sportsmanship rugby is known for, Kelter stopped play when Gisele Santos was seriously injured. She had to be carted off the field. After the elongated stoppage in play, Thalia Costa converted the try from five meters out to even the score. At the end of the half, the Americans took advantage of an overload and Sammy Sullivan hit the line at full speed to score the go-ahead try in stoppage time.
In the second half, the U.S. spent much of the first half trying to break through Brazil’s defense. Finally Ilona Maher broke through and turned the corner to run nearly 80 meters for the insurance try. Alex Sedrick would add on a try as the Americans won their second match of the day 24-5. The U.S. improved to 5-0 in pool play in the last two Olympics.
Australia vs. Great Britain
Kahli Henwood made her Australia rugby sevens debut replacing Kaitlin Shave, who was injured in the early session. Australia ran away with what was once a close match to beat Great Britain 36-5.
Maddison Levi made a score-saving tackle in the first minute to slow Great Britain’s offense; however, a penalty by sister Teagan set up a penalty for Great Britain. Heather Cowell took advantage to score the Brit’s first points of the match. Levi answered less than a minute later, her fifth try on the day. Emma Uren made her own try-saving play to keep Australia out of the try zone again. It wouldn’t matter, as Maddison would find the ball in her hands again and she scores almost 50 percent of time that happens, Aussies took a 12-5 lead. As time expired in the first, Great Britain chose to play on, but it was Australia that capitalized. Bienne Terita benefited from a turnover and ran the ball into the corner of the try zone for a 19-5 lead at the half.
Australia didn’t relent in the second half and looked like a team on mission to avenge their disappointing fifth-place finish in Tokyo. Teagan Levi added her own try to make it 26-5. Maddison added a third personal try after that, her second hat trick on the day and seventh try. The Levi sisters combined for 47 points on the first day of play.
Ireland vs. South Africa
The match saw a battle between two Olympic newcomers in Ireland and South Africa and Ireland walked away with the 38-0 win.
Beibhinn Parsons scored the lone try in the first for Ireland after a back-and-forth half.
After Amee Murphy Crowe narrowly missed scoring a try in the first, she left no room for doubt in the second. She received a pass and ran down the middle of the field for Ireland’s second. A nice fake by Stacey Flood led to the Irish’s third try of the match. Parsons scored her second try of the match when she exploited a gap in South Africa’s defense and jumped out of the hands of a tackle. Victoria Elmes Kinlan and Eve Higgins added two more tries for Ireland, who shutout South Africa in their final match of the day.
France vs. Japan
France looked to be in peak form as they shutout Japan 49-0.
France sending out a new batch of starters for their second match of the day. The new lineup didn’t waste any time when Ian Jason scored right away. The crowd erupted when three-time Olympian Camille Grassineau juked a Japanese defender, passed to Chloe Jacquet as she went into contact, then followed in support to receive the ball back for a textbook try. France’s physical sized caused issues for Japan. Caroline Drouin benefitted from the mismatch in size to score France’s third try and Jason would add her second try before the end of the half.
Jason picked up where she left off in the second and scored her third try of the match for the hat trick. Anne-Cecile Ciofani and Jacquet added their own tries to add to France’s 49-0 lopsided win. With their second win, France advanced to the quarterfinals in the top spot from Pool C.
Fiji vs. China
In a tough Pool A draw, Fiji and China were both looking for their first win of the day. Twelfth-seed China surprised everyone and made easy work of Fiji for the 40-12 win.
China’s Wang Wanyu scored the first try of the match, but Fiji’s Aloesi Nakoci answered right away to even the score. Two minutes later, Yang Feifei exploited a wide-open weak side off a scrum to put China up 12-7. China extended the lead as time expired in the first half when Chen Keyi started a pick-and-go and Yan Meiling brought it home to put China up 19-7.
After half time. China continued to dominate. This time, Chen Keyi sprinted down the field to score her own try. Ilisapeci Delaiwau responded with a try for fiji but it didn’t matter as Liu Xiaoqian scored the nail-in-the-coffin try. Dou Xinrong would be China’s sixth try scorer of the match to hand Fiji a 40-12 loss. With the loss, Fiji will not have a chance to defend their Tokyo bronze medal.
New Zealand vs. Canada
Defending Olympic champion New Zealand played Canada in the final match of the day and the Black Ferns took care of business securing the 33-7 win.
20-year-old Jorja Miller slipped a tackle to score the first try of the match. Charity Williams again scored Canada’s first try in a match, the veteran turned the corner to find the try zone with a large smile across her face. The match wouldn’t remain tied for long, Portia Woodman received the ball off the kick off, slipped a tackle and passed to Risealeaana Pouri-Lane who brought it home for the five-point lead. Miller made a nice move, at the end of the half, when she changed directions, slipped the defender and gave the Black Ferns a 19-7 lead.
Midway through the second, Tyla King executed the smartest try of the match. She waited to pick up the ball from an errant pass until her defender committed, she then juked her to run it down the field for a 26-7 score. New Zealand legend Woodman got in on the action, when she scored the Black Ferns last try of the match.