Women’s rugby sevens: Australia lose to England in semi to drop first leg of series

THE Australian women’s rugby sevens team have finished third at the Canada Seven on Monday.

Australia (yellow) vs Russia (blue)action on the first day of HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, in Langford, BC, on April 16, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Don MacKinnon

THE Australian women’s rugby sevens team have finished third at the Canada Sevens after downing France 19-12 with a try after the siren in their third place playoff on Monday.

The Australians lost the chance to press for a gold medal after losing their semi-final clash against England.

After winning the first three events of the season, the Australian’s quest for a fourth successive victory ended when they fell 15-5 to the English side early Monday.

It marks just their third loss of the 2015-16 season for the gutsy Australians.

The loss sent the Australians into the third-place playoff in the penultimate series of the season.

In the match against France, the scores were locked at 12-12 when utility back Amy Turner busted through a midfield gap to deliver Australia the victory.

Australia has earlier beaten Spain 28-0 in the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Australia remain on the top of the world series ladder over New Zealand, who face England in the final of the penultimate round.

The last event of the world series will be held in Clermont-Ferrand, France, on the last weekend of May.

Originally published as Women’s rugby sevens: Australia lose to England in semi to drop first leg of series