HSBC SVNS: New Zealand beat Australia to add Singapore women's title to League crown

New Zealand snuffed out Australia's attacking threats to add the HSBC SVNS Singapore title to the League Winners crown they clinched on day one at the National Stadium.

Michaela Brake and Risi Pouri-Lane had the Black Ferns Sevens 12 points to the good but Australia won a turnover when New Zealand had the chance to end the first half and Maddison Levi raced over the line.

Australia could not get through the black line again, though, with three players at one point required to halt Levi. Jazmin Felix-Hotham kicked on and caught the ball to score before Kelsey Teneti, on as a substitute, made it 24-7.

Levi caused the crowd to gasp in wonder when she made a saving challenge on Teneti, ripped the ball and launched an attack in one flowing move, but even her superpowers could not prevent Brake making sure of top spot yet again with her second try of the final.

HSBC Player of the Final Pouri-Lane said: "It’s been an awesome couple of weeks for us. They (Australia) are full of talent and the girls are still young.It is awesome to come up against them because we know they are always going to bring it to us."

Winning captain Sarah Hirini said she was "stoked for this group".

"Everyone knows when you win the title and win the tournament at the same time it’s an even greater feeling," Hirini added. "We all love what we do. We know how grateful we are to be in this position."

3rd-PLACE PLAYOFF

Canada earned a place on the podium for a second week in a row with a 21-5 win over stuttering France.

Carissa Norsten was the beneficiary of a brilliant first-minute charge by Shalaya Valenzuela, who herself then ran over. France's Hawa Tounkara withstood a few big hits but succumbed to injury early in the second half in a fiercely contested match and French hopes of third spot all but evaporated when Rose Marie Fiafialoto was sin binned for kicking the ball away.

Olivia Apps dictated the play that led to Fancy Bermudez slicing in for Canada's third try before Lea Trollier notched a consolation.

SEMI-FINALS

Mackenzie Davis bagged a hat-trick that showcased her speed, vision and composure as Australia won their semi-final 45-7 against Canadian players who could barely catch their breath amid the onslaught.

Maddison Levi hit twice to take her tally across the six stops of the HSBC SVNS this season to a remarkable 50 tries, but her scoring is just one aspect of her game. Levi is so often the winner in the air when Tia Hinds' kick-offs come out to her wing that she is instrumental in maintaining her team's attacking momentum. 

Eden Kilgour reduced Australia's lead to 24-7 just after the interval after Bienne Terita had also scored for Tim Walsh's team, but Australia, through Davis and Hinds, made sure of a place in the final.

"It was an awesome win," said Davis. "Whoever we come up against in the final will be a tough game. It’s awesome to play with my idols."

It soon became clear that it would be New Zealand they would meet in the showpiece match, for the Black Ferns Sevens beat France 40-14.

Felix-Hotham, Brake and Stacey Waaka scores were partially met by France's Lili Dezou and Carla Neisen for a 19-14 lead at half-time.

Neisen's try was a touch of class. Picking up the ball and moving into a central position about 20m out, she hopped back on to her right foot, inviting a tackle, but suddenly burst forward to score.

Mahina Paul offloaded just in time for Brake when she appeared to be running out of pitch, and although Brake spent two minutes in the sin bin for knocking the ball down, while she was off Teneti evaded an Alycia Christiaens tackle to break French hearts. Jorja Miller added another try before the hooter sounded.

"We’re going to go into that final and give it to them because that's what the black jersey does," promised Brake after the match.

5th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Japan beat China 26-12 to finish in fifth spot in round six of the HSBC SVNS series. China's organisational skills had served them well over the weekend but they were eventually undone late in the match by Hana Nagata and Mao Ishida, the latter scoring her first try for Japan.

Himawari Matsuda and the impeccably balanced Honoka Tsutsumi had overturned Wang Wanyu's deadlock breaker for China, and although Yu Hu had shown deft skill to change tack to get it to 14-12 those two late scores put Japan out of sight.

5th-PLACE SEMI-FINALS

Japan came from 12-0 down against a Grace Crompton-inspired Great Britain team to reach the 5th-place final 21-12. Mei Ohtani led the fightback as she scored after great rucking by the Sakura Sevens and she added her second after Minako Taniyama had crashed over.

China blew Fiji away with a controlled, clinical performance in their 27-0 playoff win. Already guaranteed their best finish of the season, China enjoyed a dominant display with Chen Can scoring a hat-trick as the players threw the ball around confidently and supported one another in attack. A late sin-binning of Vika Nakacia for a no-arms tackle summed up Fiji's match.

7th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Fiji turned on the style in the second half to ease away from Great Britain and register eight points for their efforts in claiming seventh place in Singapore.

Crompton and Emma Uren had helped Great Britain to a 14-12 lead at half-time but 31 points without reply was Fijiana's spirited response. Nakacia crossed over three times, one of six try scorers who made the most of the space afforded by their tiring opponents.

9th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Spain claimed a best-of-the-season 9th place by overcoming Ireland 17-5. Marta Cantabrana scored twice, her second when she bounced off her right foot to cut towards the goal-line, sending Ireland players scattering. Juana Stella helped to create Spain's other score when she got to within a metre, but when the ball was recycled Iciar Pozo Eizaguirre caught it at pace and dived over the line like a missile.

11th-PLACE PLAYOFF

Ariana Ramsey scored a try and made another to help USA to 11th place at Brazil's expense. Nia Toliver won a fascinating tussle with fellow speed machine Thalia Costa, eyeing her opponent as the pair hared up the flank, then shoving her off to move clear and score.

Kristi Kirshe showed the other side of the game, crashing over from close range for the States, and Alyssa Porter collected a Ramsey offload to run in before being skinned for pace by Costa, but that try was not enough for Brazil who went down 26-21.

9TH-PLACE SEMI-FINALS

In day two's opening game, Maria Ribera's Spain were deserving 15-5 winners over sluggish USA. Maria Garcia scored twice in a show of determination and such was USA's lack of sharpness that Juana Stella could take a quick-tap penalty and slip through four players without contact to score. Porter woke USA from their slumber to score late.

Ireland ended a 20-game losing streak by powering past Brazil 26-10 for whom Thalia Costa scored her 28th try of the series. Robyn O’Connor and Kathy Baker put the Irish in control before Isadora Lopes's try for As Yaras. But Megan Burns and Alanna Fitzpatrick made sure of a win the players in green clearly treasured.