One day to go, one place in Rio remains

Spain reach the quarter-finals again

Five teams arrived in Amsterdam competing for three places in the 2016 Rio Olympics… and a new series champion needed to be enthroned.

The latter was the easiest. Essentially New Zealand just needed to turn up. 20 points clear after London, a single point in Amsterdam would be enough – and you get one point for finishing last! So when New Zealand ran onto the field against Fiji in their opening game they became champions for the third year running (and this is the third year of the series).

New Zealand’s 32-0 win over Fiji was just one of five “regulations” wins in the opening round. It followed on from Australia’s 29-7 dismissal of Russia, and England’s 56-0 forensic destruction of China. The United States followed with a similarly impressive 26-7 win over South Africa (though South Africa struck first) before the Netherlands returned to the World Series after a year away, taking on France.

This was the first real contest of the day – and Netherlands struck first, through Annemarie Van Rossum. France pulled level near the end of the first half, but the Dutch battled hard against the fourth ranked team in the series. In the end France just got over the line with a try from Christelle Le Duff, but it was a hard won 14-7 win.

Round two went much the same way as round one. Australia and England recorded massive wins over Russia and China (48-0 and 40-5), this confirming their places in the last eight. New Zealand similarly dismissed South Africa 31-7, and the United States had few problems with Fiji, winning 36-14 despite a late comeback by the islanders. Finally the Dutch again took first blood against Canada, but lost out 34-10. The results also confirmed Australia and Canada’s places in Rio.

So one place in Rio remained – with England, United States and France in the running. Whoever will finish this weekend the highest will take that spot, and with England and Russia in the quarter-finals, France were up next attempting to join them.

They were faced with Spain, who they have grown to know very well as the two teams they have played in every tournament this year – all wins for France, but most recently in London somewhat unconvincingly. The game continued where London had left off, but this time it was Spain who broke the deadlock with Patricia Garcia converting Berta Garcia’s try at the end of the first half. In the second Spain starved the French of ball, and although France managed to pull one try back it was not enough to stop Spain taking the game 7-5. After so much struggle this season it was another top scalp for the Spanish – if only they had started 2014/15 as they have ended it! As for France, their Rio hopes now hung by a thread.

Round three opened with an impressive 24-7 wins for Australia, making them the top seeds for day 2, but England – after their two large wins earlier in the day – would be fourth seeds. Russia saw off China, this maintaining their quarter-final hopes, before the United States came out to play New Zealand, the assumption being that the Ferns would win what would be a close game, giving the USA a classic quarter against England.

But the USA had clearly been given the wrong script. They were astonishing. An early score from Lauren Doyle set them off – but the Ferns have conceded early score before. Then two minutes later Kristen Thomas added a second, and then almost immediately a third. The United States were 15-0 ahead against the newly-crowned World Series champions. Shock was not quite the word – but fact was that the Ferns had barely touched the ball.

The second half began was the first, with a second Doyle try. Then Kathryn Johnson added a fourth, and with three minutes to go Doyle completed a hat-trick. 34-0 read the scoreboard before Kelly Brazier at last put New Zealand on the board in the final minute.

South Africa then put in one of the best performances of the series, drawing 19-19 with Fiji – a result they were happy to take, despite having a chance to win the game from the final play. It was an important result for France and Russia as it effectively put them into the quarters, and France initially began well with a Fanny Horta try putting them ahead against Canada before the Canadians upped their game and ran in 26-5 winners. Finally the hosts took on Spain, with a quarter-final place awaiting the winners. Again the Dutch began well with the opening score, but again they could not hold that lead and Spain ran out 21-7 winners.

And so Day Two awaits. All three of the potential Rio qualifiers are still standing, but it is the United States that seem to have the most advantageous draw. They will start the day as favourites to go to Rio – but if there is one thing we gave learnt is that Day One is no guide to Day Two. There is a long way to go yet.