Australian Women's Sevens to face off against Fiji

Thu, Jul 9, 2015, 2:00 AM
AAP
by AAP

Australia has set up a Gold Medal showdown with Fiji at the Pacific Games, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea after winning six from six in pool play.

After beating Fiji, New Caledonia and Tahiti on the opening day, Tim Walsh's inexperienced charges saw off the challenge of Tonga (33-0), Samoa (19-7) and hosts Papua New Guinea (19-0) on Day Two.

Ahead of tomorrow's Final against Fiji, Australian Women's Sevens Head Coach Tim Walsh said: "Tomorrow will be a real test of character for this inexperienced team. They have performed well to date and excecuted many of our policies and game plans.

"The objective was to follow our processes and let the results prevail. Secondly, I wanted to give valuable game time to inexperienced players and encourage and uncover future Olympians.

"I have been particularly impressed with Nicole Beck's leadership and the line-breaking skills from Mahalia Murphy."

On a day most notable for the physicality in each of the three games, Tonga provided a stern threat first up. However, a hat-trick of tries from Mahalia Murphy and a double from the increasingly influential Brooke Anderson were enough to seal an ultimately comfortable win.

The women in gold conceded its only try of the day against Samoa in yet another tough encounter on a wearing pitch. Mollie Gray and Nicole Beck scored either side of half-time to help the Aussies see off the Samoans.

Buoyed by a partisan crowd at the Sir John Guise Stadium, PNG started strongly. However, it proved to be the Mahalia Murphy show yet again as she touched down for her eighth and ninth tries of the tournament - including a dazzling coast-to-coast effort early in the second period. Sarah Holvorsen opened the scoring for the Australians in the opening period.

NITV will broadcast the Rugby Sevens from Papua New Guinea on free-to-air Channel 34 and Channel 144 on Foxtel with Australian Sevens legend Mark Ella the panel expert.

Australian Women’s Sevens results in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 8-9 July:

Australia 26-7 Fiji, Pool Stage

Australia 22-5 New Caledonia, Pool Stage

Australia 59-0 Tahiti, Pool Stage

Australia 33-0 Tonga, Pool Stage

Australia 19-7 Samoa, Pool Stage

Australia 19-0 Papua New Guinea, Pool Stage

Australian Women’s Sevens fixtures in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 10 July:

Australia v Fiji, Gold Medal Match, 6.45pm AEST

Share
Force 'heart and soul' Pomare set to reach rare Super W milestone
Michael Hooper is excited about the challenge of playing Sevens in Hong Kong. Photo: Nick Holland/RA Media
'Rookie' ex-Wallabies skipper Hooper ready to step up Sevens unknown
'Brumbies DNA': Wallabies selections on the line for Reds clash - Larkham
'It's pretty hard to leave an environment like this': Jorgensen eager to commit future to Waratahs