The final four in the women’s rugby sevens at Paris 2024 are set, with defending champions New Zealand, first-time semi-finalists USA, upset victors Canada, and 2016 gold medalists Australia emerging from a day of intense quarter-final action. These powerhouses will battle for Olympic glory in Tuesday’s semi-finals, with New Zealand facing the USA and Canada taking on Australia for a spot in the gold medal match.

New Zealand continued their dominant form, setting a new Olympic record with a 55-5 victory over China. Four players, including captain Sarah Hirini, scored doubles as the Black Ferns Sevens showcased their attacking prowess. Their performance set up a semi-final clash with the USA, who overcame Great Britain 17-7 in a hard-fought match.

The biggest upset of the day came when Canada shocked hosts France with a last-minute 19-14 victory, crushing French dreams of a golden double following their men’s team’s success. Chloe Daniels scored the winning try with less than a minute remaining, silencing the home crowd and booking Canada’s place in the semi-finals against Australia.

Australia, the 2016 Olympic champions, demonstrated their title credentials with a commanding 40-7 win over Ireland. Maddison Levi was the star of the show, scoring a first-half hat-trick to take her tournament tally to an Olympic record of 11 tries, surpassing Portia Woodman-Wickliffe’s previous mark of 10 set at Rio 2016.

Earlier in the day, the pool stages concluded with France’s Seraphine Okemba scoring four tries against Brazil, while Australia and New Zealand completed clean sweeps of their respective pools.

With the semi-finals and final set for Tuesday, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to the women’s rugby sevens tournament.

Here’s a recap of the key matches of Day Two:

Quarter finals

Austalia 40 v Ireland 7

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Australia secured the final place in the Olympic rugby sevens semi-finals with a statement 40-7 victory over Ireland in the quarter-finals. Maddison Levi was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick within the first five minutes to set a new Olympic record for most tries in a single tournament with 11. Faith Nathan, Isabella Nasser, and Bienne Terita also crossed the try line for Australia, while Charlotte Caslick, returning to the starting lineup, orchestrated the attack masterfully. The Aussies led 26-0 at halftime and never looked back, with Terita’s 70-meter dash in the final moments capping off the rout. Stacey Flood managed a consolation try for Ireland, who had pushed Australia to a close 19-14 result in pool play earlier in the day. This comprehensive victory sets up a semi-final clash for Australia against Canada, who shocked hosts France in their quarter-final. The win keeps Australia’s gold medal hopes alive as they look to reclaim the title they won in Rio 2016 and improve on their disappointing quarter-final exit in Tokyo 2020.

France 14 v Canada 19

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Canada stunned hosts France with a dramatic 19-14 victory in the women’s rugby sevens quarter-final at the Stade de France, crushing French dreams of a medal double. In a tense and physical encounter, Piper Logan emerged as the hero for Canada, scoring two tries, including a crucial equalizer in the second half. The match was a see-saw affair, with Canada taking an early 7-0 lead through Logan’s first try. France responded with tries from Ian Jason and Yolaine Yengo to go ahead 14-7. However, Logan’s second try leveled the score, setting the stage for a thrilling finale. With just 53 seconds remaining, Chloe Daniels sealed the victory for Canada, sneaking down the short side to score the winning try. The result was a bitter disappointment for France, who had been undefeated in the tournament and had hoped to emulate their men’s team’s gold medal success. For Canada, the win marks a return to medal contention after their bronze in Rio 2016 and a disappointing showing in Tokyo 2020. The victory, witnessed by over 60,000 passionate French fans, sets up a semi-final clash with Australia for the Canadian team.

Great Britain 7 v USA 17

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The USA women’s rugby sevens team secured their first-ever Olympic medal round appearance with a hard-fought 17-7 victory over Great Britain in the quarter-finals. In a revenge match for their Tokyo 2020 quarter-final loss, the Americans needed resilience and composure to battle back from a strong start by Great Britain. The British team truck first, with Ellie Boatman scoring an early try, but the USA responded strongly. Naya Tapper levelled the score before halftime, and the Americans took control in the second half with tries from Kristi Kirshe and Sammy Sullivan. The physical encounter saw both teams battling hard at the breakdown, but the USA’s defence held firm, particularly in the closing stages. This historic win, which left American players in tears of joy, sets up a semi-final clash with defending champions New Zealand.

New Zealand 55 v 5 China

New Zealand set a new Olympic women’s rugby sevens record with a commanding 55-5 victory over China in the first quarter-final at Paris 2024. The Black Ferns Sevens surpassed Australia’s previous record of 53 points set against Colombia at Rio 2016, scoring nine tries to equal another Olympic record. Four New Zealand players scored braces: Michaela Blyde, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, co-captain Sarah Hirini, and Mahina Paul. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe extended her all-time Olympic try record to 17 with a first-half score. The match wasn’t without incident, as Hirini received a yellow card – New Zealand’s first since the Rio 2016 gold medal match. China’s lone try came from Xinrong Dou during Hirini’s absence. This dominant performance secured New Zealand’s place in the semi-finals, making them the only women’s team to reach this stage in all three Olympic Games. The victory extended their winning streak to 10 matches since their gold medal defeat in Rio, putting them just one try and 13 points shy of their Tokyo 2020 record tally.

Round 3

New Zealand 38 v Fiji 7

New Zealand completed a perfect pool stage at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a dominant 38-7 victory over Fiji, securing their place as the only team to win all nine of their Olympic pool matches across three Games. The Black Ferns Sevens demonstrated their strength and depth, with Jorja Miller opening the scoring early, followed by tries from Jazmin Felix-Hotham and a double from Stacey Waaka to establish a commanding 21-0 lead at halftime. Waaka’s brace took her Olympic try tally to nine, while Michaela Blyde also crossed the line, moving her into joint-second on the all-time Olympic try-scoring list with 12. Manaia Nuku sealed the win for New Zealand, who rested some star players in the second half. Fiji, the Tokyo 2020 bronze medalists, managed a consolation try through Adi vani Buleki, who delighted the crowd with a length-of-the-field score in the dying seconds. This comprehensive victory underlined New Zealand’s status as tournament favourites, while Fiji’s disappointing campaign saw them fail to win a pool match at an Olympic Games for the first time.

Canada 26 v China 17

Canada’s Charity Williams dives in a try against China on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on 29 July, 2024 in Paris. Photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

Canada secured second place in Pool A with a hard-fought 26-17 victory over China in their final group match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. China started strongly, continuing their impressive form from the previous day, as Keyi Chen raced away to score the opening try. Canada quickly responded, with Charity Williams equalizing with one of her signature somersault celebrations. Florence Symonds then gave Canada the lead before halftime. China showed resilience, reducing the margin to just two points early in the second half, but Williams’ second try restored Canada’s advantage. Piper Logan sealed the win for Canada with a try in the final minute. The victory was crucial for Canada, setting up a quarter-final clash against host nation France. Despite the loss, China’s determined performance, which included tries from Liu Xiaoqian and Wang Wanyu, ensured their progression to the knockout rounds, where they will face New Zealand.

France 31 v USA 14

France’s Seraphine Okemba cuts through the USA defense for a try on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on 29 July, 2024 in Paris. Photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

France secured top spot in Pool C with an impressive 31-14 victory over the USA in a high-energy match at the Stade de France. Despite conceding their first points of the tournament when Ilona Maher scored an early try for the Americans, France responded emphatically, led by a spectacular performance from Séraphine Okemba. The French star scored four tries, including a breathtaking length-of-the-field run in the final play of the game. Chloé Jacquet also crossed the line for France, while Caroline Drouin added conversions. The USA’s Naya Tapper scored a late consolation try, but it wasn’t enough to challenge the dominant French side. Both teams had already qualified for the quarter-finals before this match, but France’s win ensures they enter the knockout stages as Pool C winners.

Japan 39 v Brazil 12

Japan’s Marin Kajiki scores a try against Brazil on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on 29 July, 2024 in Paris. Photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

Japan secured their first-ever Olympic pool stage victory with a commanding 39-12 win over Brazil, ending a run of eight consecutive Olympic defeats. The Sakura Sevens started strongly, with Honoka Tsutsumi sprinting away for the opening try, quickly followed by a score from Chiaki Saegusa. Japan’s dominance in the restart game allowed them to build a substantial 24-5 lead by halftime, doubling their total try count from all previous Olympic pool matches. Marin Kajiki and Tsutsumi both crossed for doubles as Japan pushed to keep their quarter-final hopes alive. The 39 points scored set a new record for Japan in an Olympic match, surpassing their previous best of 24 against Kenya at Rio 2016. Brazil managed two long-distance tries through Gabriela Lima and Thalita da Silva Costa, but it wasn’t enough to challenge the resurgent Japanese side.

Australia 19 v Ireland 14

Ireland’s Emily Lane launches an attack against the defense Australia on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on 29 July, 2024 in Paris. Photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

Australia completed a clean sweep of Pool B with a hard-fought 19-14 victory over Ireland in their final group match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Despite resting captain Charlotte Caslick, the Australians showcased their depth and resilience. Faith Nathan opened the scoring within 15 seconds, but Ireland dominated possession for much of the first half, with Eve Higgins equalizing. Teagan Levi restored Australia’s lead just before halftime, and her sister Maddison extended it early in the second period. Ireland fought back valiantly, capitalizing on Tia Hinds’ yellow card for Higgins to score her second try, but Australia held on for the win. The result confirms Australia as Pool B winners and guarantees their quarter-final spot. Ireland’s strong performance, despite the loss, keeps their quarter-final hopes alive as they await results from other matches to determine if they will progress as one of the best third-placed teams. There is a possibility that these two teams could meet again in the quarter-finals, pending the outcomes of the remaining pool matches.

Great Britain 24 v South Africa 17

Great Britain captain Emma Uren and Jasmine Joyce celebrate a try against South Africa on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France on 29 July, 2024 in Paris. Photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

Great Britain secured their place in the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 26-17 victory over South Africa in their final pool match at the Stade de France. The South African team, making their Olympic debut, shocked their more experienced opponents by taking a 12-7 lead into halftime, with tries from Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Nadine Roos. However, Great Britain’s experience showed in the second half as they mounted a comeback. Isla Norman-Bell’s try immediately after the break turned the tide, and despite Ayanda Malinga briefly putting South Africa back in front, it was Jasmine Joyce who sealed the win for GB with two late tries. The match highlighted South Africa’s potential in their first Olympics, while Great Britain’s resilience and Joyce’s clinical finishing proved decisive in securing their quarter-final berth.