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New Zealand beat France 26-12 to win the women’s Olympic rugby sevens gold medal at Tokyo Stadium as the top seeds finally achieved their Olympic dream after disappointment in the previous Olympic final at Rio 2016.
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Having lost the gold medal match to Australia five years ago, the Black Ferns Sevens had spoken about their desire to go one better in Tokyo, and captain Sarah Hirini helped give them the ideal start as she offloaded to Michaela Blyde who scored the first try of the final.
Gayle Broughton produced a stunning finish in the left corner before Stacey Fluhler went over in the final minute of the first half to give New Zealand a 19-5 lead at the break.
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Anne-Cécile Ciofani scored her seventh try of the tournament to draw France within seven points early in the second half, but Tyla Nathan-Wong went over to make sure of the gold medal for New Zealand.
New Zealand captain Sarah Hirini said: “I think back to everything we’ve had to do to get to this moment, all the people back home who helped us, players who missed out but also trained hard. Everything people went through to win this, it’s pretty crazy and something you look at your teammates and think, we finally did it for New Zealand.
🥇 OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS! 🥇
📷: @GettyImages #Tokyo2020 #rugby @thenzteam pic.twitter.com/ufhbMBi7Ay
— Black Ferns (@BlackFerns) July 31, 2021
“We’re the best team in the world, we’ve got the best players in the world, and when you look around at that group it’s just, do your job and everything will happen. It did in that final.”
New Zealand’s Portia Woodman said: “Looking back on Rio, that emotion of scoring the last try but still not being able to win the game. Crying underneath the posts was one that I looked back on, but now it’s gone. Not when I look at this gold medal. When that whistle blew, I was elated with so much emotion, that left my mind. I looked at everyone on the field and had a real experience and feeling of happiness.
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“Women’s rugby has been on the rise, not just in New Zealand, but across the world. Knowing I’ve hopefully inspired some of our girls, and even our boys look up to us, this is for rugby all across New Zealand, every kid who has aspired to be someone, looked up to someone, in every aspect of life.”
New Zealand’s Michaela Blyde said: “New Zealand is a strong rugby country so for us to be able to bring this gold home to our country and our families makes us extremely proud.
Black Ferns Sevens star Ruby Tui is the latest viral sensation to come out of the Tokyo Olympics following a captivating post-match interview. #Rugby #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/wKkfMVV9sj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 31, 2021
“We wanted to do the hard work, get up early and do those extra fitness drills – whatever it takes to be able to win one of these gold medals. One of the things we had to do was to be away from our families for the past six or seven weeks, and it’s been mentally hard. It’s not something we’re used to, but it’s worth it when you’ve got one of these around your neck.”
New Zealand’s Tyla Nathan-Wong said: “It has been a dream since we were kids to have a medal round our necks after all these years. It’s bloody incredible, it means so much.”
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Viral sensation Ruby Tui said: “I’m so happy, so proud. The gold is a metaphor for a dream about positive thinking. It is not just the gold medal but how we have grown since. You just have to believe.”
France only qualified for the Games through the World Rugby Sevens Repechage last month and their place on the podium will boost interest in rugby sevens ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024
France captain Fanny Horta said: “We have to be proud of what we have achieved. You need to be able to congratulate yourselves if you are on the podium at an Olympic Games, irrespective of the medal. I am sure with this medal, the desire for revenge will be great.
"I would be interested to learn exactly how these broadcasting decisions are made"
– @RachaelBurf12 questions why Olympic 7s was hit and miss on UK TV this week #Tokyo2020 #Rugby7s
https://t.co/ROiBv8S2rS— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 28, 2021
“I think it has been a beautiful story and hopefully it continues. This is the first medal France has won in sevens and I hope this gives young girls the desire to start playing rugby and to get to the Olympics. Maybe next time we can win the final.”
France’s Caroline Drouin said: “We wanted to win the gold and right now we feel really disappointed. But maybe in the future we will feel happy about winning the silver. Getting here was tough – there was a lot of hard work involved and it wasn’t easy. But right now I feel very proud of the team.”
Following the medal ceremony the New Zealand players laid down their gold medals and performed a spine-tingling haka on the Tokyo Stadium pitch to bring down the curtain on a superb six days of Olympic rugby sevens action that has showcased the very best of the sport, which was making its second appearance on the Olympic programme.
– World Rugby
