Australia Humbled by New Zealand in Dubai Rugby Sevens Finals
New Zealand’s rugby sevens teams claimed victory over Australia in both the men’s and women’s finals at the opening event of the world series in Dubai. The results mark a setback for the Australian teams, particularly the women who had previously enjoyed a dominant run in the tournament.
The Australian women’s team suffered a 29-14 defeat, ending their five-tournament winning streak in Dubai against the reigning world series champions. New Zealand’s Jorja Miller was named player of the final after scoring two tries, overshadowing Australian star Maddison Levi, who had accumulated seven tries throughout the weekend prior to the final match. New Zealand built a commanding 17-0 lead by halftime, with further tries coming from Stacey Waaka, Kelsey Teneti, and Risi Pouri-Lane. Heidi Dennis managed two second-half tries for Australia, but they proved insufficient to close the gap.
the australian men’s team also fell short, losing a closely contested final 26-22. They had earlier secured their place in the final with a 14-0 shutout victory over France in the semi-finals.Maurice Longbottom opened the scoring for Australia, but an injury sustained while scoring forced him to leave the field, shifting momentum to New Zealand. The Kiwis took a 12-5 lead into halftime thanks to tries from Dylan collier and Akuila Rokolisoa. Despite a strong second-half effort and late tries, the Australian men were unable to overcome the deficit, ultimately losing by four points.
AAP
