Sarah Hirini surveyed the hurt plastered across her teammates’ faces and felt like she’d been sucker punched.
“Absolutely gutted,” the Black Ferns Sevens captain said moments after her team’s Commonwealth Games title defence was buried at the hands of the Aussies.
Hirini then broke down, tears filling her eyes as she attempted to come to grips with her side’s 17-12 defeat in Coventry on Sunday morning (NZT).
Standing in the same spot a moment earlier, teammate Tyla Nathan-Wong had also teared up, forcing her to take a few moments to regain her composure.
Both were trying to comprehend the agonising defeat, asking themselves why they weren’t able to convert a numerical advantage into a last-ditch try in the rematch of the 2018 Gold Coast final.
“To be honest, that’s the good and shit thing about sevens,” Hirini said of the fine lines that often decide matches.
The Black Ferns had a golden opportunity to steal the match, after Aussie hat-trick scorer Maddison Levi was yellow carded for pulling Portia Woodman’s hair.
Black Ferns Sevens (L-R) Sarah Hirini, Portia Woodman and Kelly Brazier afer their semifinal defeat to Australia at the Commonwealth Games.
With time up on the clock, the Kiwis packed a scrum inside the 22, knowing a converted try would send them into the gold medal match.
However, they flung the ball wide and were swallowed up by the Aussies, who made a real nuisance of themselves at the ruck all game.
“I’m not going to sugar coat it, it bloody sucks,” Nathan-Wong rued.
“We work hard for those moments and, unfortunately, that one slipped away from us.”
Before Hirini and Nathan-Wong stopped to speak to media, a downcast Woodman, sporting her ultra-long locks, trudged past.
Which begs the question: Would she have scored had Levi not got hold of them?
“Yeah, well, we’ll go back and have a look at that.” Black Ferns coach Cory Sweeney said.
Woodman had opened New Zealand’s account in the first half, helping her side take a 12-5 lead into the break.
Having outscored their group opponents143-13 heading into the semifinal, it all looked to be going to plan.
PHOTOSPORT
The Aussies were all smiles after sinking the Kiwis in their semifinal.
However, the Australians’ physicality at the ruck forced the Black Ferns into mistakes, denying them the opportunity to hold on to the ball after the break.
“Just seeing the disappointment in my teammates’ faces, it’s probably what makes me upset a little bit more,” Hirini said.
“I don’t want anyone to blame themselves for anything that they’ve done, and I’m sure the girls will take it pretty hard.”
Richard Heathcote
Australian Maddison Levi was yellow carded for pulling Black Ferns wing Portia Woodman’s hair.
Hirini doesn’t believe the one-sided thrashings they dished out during the group stage had left them ill-prepared for their clash with the 2022 World Series champions, pointing out Canada and England were top-six sides.
Rather, she pinned the blame on the team’s inability to hold the ball, and the fine margins in sevens.
“We haven’t lost many times. And, to be honest, the ones that we have done, we’ve watched probably 1000 times, I know them off by heart.”
Now, the Black Ferns must pick themselves up for Monday morning’s bronze medal match against Canada.
Nathan-Wong, having found her voice, didn’t believe that would be a problem. In fact, quite the opposite.
“Watch out, whoever we play tomorrow, we’re coming for you.”
The All Blacks Sevens kept their gold medal title defence alive on Sunday morning, hammering Kenya 31-0 on the back of two Regan Ware tries in their quarterfinal.
It booked a semifinal date with Fiji on Sunday night. The winner will play either Australia or South Africa in the final.
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