GB Women end tough Toulouse campaign on a high
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 03: Abbie Brown of Great Britain reacts with teammate Amy Wilson Hardy during the Women's Cup Quarterfinal match between Great Britain and New Zealand on Day Two of the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series - Dubai at The Sevens Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Getty Images)
Amy Wilson Hardy’s length of the field extra time try meant Great Britain Women finished seventh at the Toulouse Sevens after winning their final match against Fiji 22-17.
Fiji dominated the first half and looked to be sailing to victory as they went ahead through early tries by Raijieli Daveua and Reapi Ulunisau.
Isla Norman-Bell hit back on the stroke of half time for GB and overturned the deficit in the second period through scores from Wilson Hardy and Jasmine Joyce.
But Ana Maria Naimasi touched down in the last minute of regular time to send the game to extra time.
Fiji had all the possession and territory at the start of the third stanza but a loose ball was pounced on by Wilson Hardy and her wonderful breakaway try evaded the Fijian defenders and meant GB finished a tough weekend overall on a high.
Earlier in the day, GB women were beaten 14-5 by Japan in the fifth place semi-final.
Grace Crompton opened the scoring for GB but 14 unanswered points courtesy of converted tries by Mei Ohtani and Wakaba Hara overturned the deficit.
Day two saw GB women suffer the same fate as the men as they were beaten 28-10 in the quarter-final by France.
GB made the ideal start with an early try through Norman-Bell but endured heavy French pressure that was eventually rewarded with Joanna Grisez’s brace at the end of the first half.
Lili Dezou extended the home side’s lead before Rhona Lloyd’s score for GB was cancelled out by Lou Noel’s late try that sent the passionate locals into a frenzy.
GB women made an ideal start to their tournament with a 19-12 victory over Japan through tries by Lloyd, Joyce and Crompton.
A 33-12 win over Spain followed courtesy of scores from Abbie Brown, Shona Campbell, Lloyd, Crompton and Lisa Thomson.
GB concluded their Pool B campaign with a 19-17 defeat to Fiji but qualified for the last eight with a losing bonus point due to tries by Ellie Boatman, Crompton and Jade Shekells.
Written by Ben Jaycock in Toulouse
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