TOKYO: Tyla Nathan-Wong scored a try and three conversions to guide New Zealand past France 26-12 to claim Olympic women’s rugby sevens gold on Saturday.

Michaela Blyde, Gayle Broughton and Stacey Fluhler all crossed for first-half scores for the Baby Ferns, Caroline Drouin pulling one back for France to leave it 19-5 at half-time.

Anne-Cecile Ciofani notched up France’s second shortly into the second-half, but New Zealand’s grip on the game never faltered as Nathan-Wong converted her own try to seal gold, one better than the silver they won in 2016.

Fiji, whose male compatriots won the men’s gold, beat Great Britain 21-12 for bronze.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2021