Both defending champions fell at the final hurdle at the FISU 2016 World University Rugby Sevens Championship as three days of superb competition in Swansea ended on Saturday with wins for Australia's men and France's women.
Australia captain Conor Mitchell’s last-play try secured a 24-20 win to deny Great Britain men a hat-trick of tournament titles while Les Bleues put the disappointment of losing the last two finals behind them to convincingly beat 2014 winners Canada 31-5.
The Australian men progressed to the final with an unbeaten record, having seen off the Czech Republic, Namibia, Great Britain and Italy in the first two days of pool play, before brushing Spain aside 43-0 in the semi-final. Great Britain finished second behind Australia in Pool A but held off a spirited French side 10-7 to put themselves in the frame for a further gold medal.
In the final, Thomas Merrit, Fred Dorrough and Lachlan Anderson fired Australia into a 19-10 half-time lead. However, Loughborough University duo Samuel Pointon and James Beal looked to have won it for the hosts until Mitchell struck after the hooter had sounded to spark wild scenes of celebrations among his team.
“I knew if we could get the ball we could find away to the line and I am ecstatic,” said Mitchell, a student at Queensland University of Technology. “Great Britain are a real quality side and it showed out there, but the boys dug in deep and it is just such an unbelievable feeling to win it.”
"Great Britain are a real quality side and it showed out there, but the boys dug in deep and it is just such an unbelievable feeling to win it"
Great Britain’s Robert Stevenson was proud despite the cruellest of losses. “Getting to the final is no mean feat and everyone left it out on the pitch, you can’t ask for much more than that,” the 20-year-old said. “We just didn’t quite get over the line, but I am immensely proud of all the boys and all they have put in over the past week.”
Matthew Ford scored twice to secure third place for the French, while 2018 hosts Namibia bagged a best-ever fifth-place finish with a 20-0 win over Italy.
THIRD TIME LUCKY FOR FRANCE
French women’s captain Joanna Sainlo and Lenaig Corson both grabbed braces as they put two successive World University Championship final losses to bed with a convincing 31-5 victory against Canada.
A Blandine Gadioux hat-trick saw France ease past Portugal and into the final, but it was Sainlo and Corson who crossed in a lethal first-half display against the Canadians.
Despite Erika Scott’s try for Canada, Roxan Bilon put France out of sight after the break as she finished off superb French handling work in the corner before Corson’s second try iced the French cake.
Captain Sainlo could scarcely hide her delight after wrapping up the title. “I am very, very proud of my team-mates, we played together and everybody is fantastic. I think Canada are a great team, but more individual than we are. We are a team, a real team and that helped us to win.”
Canada – who beat France in the 2014 final – had worked harder for their semi-final win, edging Japan 7-5 and came up short against a vastly experienced, powerful French side.
Nevertheless, Canada showed great endeavour until the final whistle and the impressive Scott was philosophical in defeat. “I am really proud of us, it was a tough match and a tough tournament, but I am glad we made it to the finals," she said. “It is not fun to lose, but I am proud of us anyway, from the beginning we have continuously improved, we came up harder in defence and attacked better.”
Having recorded a memorable 29-12 victory against New Zealand en route to the last four, fan-favourites Japan also sealed their best-ever finish of third at the Championship after beating Portugal 24-12 with another superb attacking display.
Photo: Capture the event