Australian Women’s Sevens captain Demi Hayes admits there is still plenty of improvement left in the side after their third World Series title in 2021-22.
After a narrow 21-19 win over the USA, the only other team to win an event this Series, the Aussies found themselves behind 12-0 in the final against Ireland, with a late try to Faith Nathan bringing them within seven.
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With the Irish dominating possession and territory, it took a pair of inspirational plays from Player of the Final Dom Du Toit to flip momentum.
Du Toit levelled the scores with two remaining, beating four defenders to race 50 metres and put the ball under the posts.
Even with these efforts, the game seemed certain to go to extra-time as Ireland opted for a scrum to tick the clock down further.
However, one last push from the Australians forced the tight head and saw the ball spurt out of the scrum onto their side, gifting a final attack to Du Toit who raced clear, eventually brought down 5 metres out.
This along with a picture-perfect clearout by Impact Player of the Series Charlotte Caslick set in motion the overlap and the win for the Aussies, with Madison Ashby finding Nathan for her second and the game-sealer.
“It was a great final,” Du Toit said after the match. We always said Ireland were a fighting team and they certainly did fight to the end.”
“It was awesome to see our girls out there fighting just as hard to the end with that final try.”
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Whilst the victory is the perfect bounce back for a side disappointed with a third place finish in Malaga, it reflects the further need to grow and improve according to Hayes with the Commonwealth Games and Sevens World Cup on the horizon.
“It’s not really the show we wanted to put on. We made it pretty hard for ourselves but I think the belief we have in the squad really showed there and got us through,” Hayes added.
“I think we were a little disappointed with how we want in Malaga so we’re happy to come away with the win.
“We’ll be asking the group for a bit more consistency next tournament but what more can you get than a win.”
