The third annual HSBC Kitakyushu Sevens final ended in thrilling fashion when Ghislaine Landry scored the decisive try within the final seconds of regulation time against England.
Ghislaine Landry's try ensured the Canadian Sevens overcame their
English counterparts 7-5 in Sunday’s final. Meanwhile, it was an end to the
Black Ferns unbeaten 38 game record as they fell to France during a Pool A
fixture.
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| Canada Captain Ghislaine Landry |
It was, however, a gripping battle between England and
Canada that got mainstream attention as the try levelled the scores before a
conversion ensured a famous win for the Canadian women.
It was almost a defensive masterclass by England, as they
kept Canada away from their ten-meter line for much of the contest, but in the
final seconds, it was the Canadian captain that pounced on a loose ball to make
their one defensive mistake a fatal one.
The win was vital for the Canadians and keeps the 2016
Olympic bronze medallists in with a chance of automatic qualification for the
2020 games, which will take place in the same country as this fourth leg of the
World Rugby Sevens Series. There are only four spaces available for the
competition through the HSBC World Series, and Canada’s win means they have now
leapfrogged the USA into second in the standings, with two rounds remaining.
New Zealand remains the side at the top of the standings,
having won all three previous legs of the World Series. However, following
their defeat to the French in the group stages, they were beaten again by the
USA in the quarterfinals. They later regained their composure to finish fifth.
The next leg of the competition comes from Langford, Canada
over the weekend commencing 11th May while the final round of the HSBC World
Series comes from Biarritz, France in June.
