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Four-try Blyde blitz for Black Ferns Sevens

Michaela Blyde Black Ferns Sevens rugby
Michaela Blyde scored four tries in eight minutes to equal a team record. PHOTO: NZ SEVENS

The Black Ferns Sevens side has cruised to a pair of wins on their opening day at the Paris Olympics.


New Zealand scored a total of 12 tries as they defeated China 43-5 and Canada 33-7 at the famed Stade de France on Sunday (Monday NZ Time), with a place in the quarterfinals guaranteed.


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Four of those tries came from Michaela Blyde in an eight-minute span against China, equalling the team record for most tries in an Olympics match, and bettering the effort of Australian Maddi Levi, who scored four in 10 minutes, earlier in the day.


Blyde crossed in the second, fourth, sixth and eighth minutes in a one-sided opening match.


Stacey Waaka scored her first just before halftime to put the Black Ferns Sevens up 22-0 at halftime. China got one try back in the 11th minute, but Waaka got her second two minutes later and captain Sarah Hirini finished the scoring after full-time.



New Zealand got a little more resistance from Canada in their second match, with an even match until just before the break.


Jorja Miller went over for her first of two in the second minute but Risa Pouri-Lane and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe missed tackles on Charity Williams, allowing Canada to level the scores a minute later.


The pair immediately redeemed themselves, with Woodman-Wickliffe busting through and overloading to Pouri-Lane to sprint 30m to score.



Miller stepped her way to a second try just before halftime to put New Zealand up 19-7, before Jazmin Felix-Hotham and Woodman-Wickliffe went over from long-range in the second half to push the scoreline out further.


The Black Ferns Sevens face winless Fiji on Monday (2.30am Tuesday NZT) in their final Pool A match, with their quarterfinal likely at 7am Tuesday NZT.


BLACK FERNS SEVENS RESULTS


Black Ferns Sevens 43 (Michaela Blyde 4, Stacey Waaka 2, Sarah Hirini tries; Risa Pouri-Lane 2 con, Tyla King 2 con) China 5 (Xiaoqian Liu try). HT: 22-0


Black Ferns Sevens 33 (Jorja Miller 2, Risa Pouri-Lane, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe tries; Tyla King 4 con, Manaia Nuku con) Canada 7 (Charity Williams try; Asia Hogan-Rochester con). HT: 19-7

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