The Olympics are almost here! There is major anticipation but also anxiety around the continued pandemic and how it will affect the games. We’ve already had a few scares with the Kenya women’s rugby team seeing false positive tests and many athletes in the Olympic village testing positive.
The women’s competition gets underway on July 29 when France faces Fiji. Play continues through July 31 when the gold medal match will take place as part of ‘Super Saturday’ – traditionally a highlight of the Games.
The 12 women’s teams were allocated to three pools of four, according to rankings based upon performances in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and other World Rugby sanctioned tournaments over the past two years.
Pool C sees hosts Japan grouped with Rio 2016 Olympic champions Australia alongside a powerful USA team, who qualified directly for Tokyo after finishing runners-up in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2019, reaching the medal podium in five of the six rounds. The pool is completed by Olympic debutants China, who secured their place in Tokyo with an emphatic 33-0 victory over Hong Kong in the Asian qualifier final.
Pool B is the only pool without an Olympic debutant as Rio 2016 bronze medallists Canada are joined by France, Fiji and Brazil. France were in fine form as they swept all before them to qualify for Tokyo via the World Rugby Sevens Repechage in Monaco earlier this month. Brazil qualified for Tokyo thanks to a 28-15 victory over Colombia in the South American qualifier, while Rio 2016 quarter-finalists Fiji overcame Papua New Guinea to qualify from Oceania.
In Pool A, current Rugby World Cup Sevens and World Series title holders New Zealand will face the Russian Olympic Committee team, Great Britain and Kenya. New Zealand beat both Kenya and Great Britain on the way to claiming the silver medal at Rio 2016, while Russia ended the Black Fern’s record-equalling 37-match winning run on the Series with a 17-17 draw in Kitakyushu in April 2019. The Russian team secured their Olympic debut via this month’s Repechage.
Pools
Pool A | Pool B | Pool C |
| New Zealand | Canada | Australia |
| Russia | France | USA |
| Great Britain | Fiji | China |
| Kenya | Brazil | Japan |
Schedule & Results
Date | Time (CST) | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Score | Competition |
| 7/28/21 | 7:00 PM | France | 12 | Fiji | 5 | Pool |
| 7/28/21 | 7:30 PM | Canada | 33 | Brazil | 0 | Pool |
| 7/28/21 | 8:00 PM | United States | 28 | China | 14 | Pool |
| 7/28/21 | 8:30 PM | Australia | 48 | Japan | 0 | Pool |
| 7/28/21 | 9:00 PM | Russia | 12 | Great Britain | 14 | Pool |
| 7/28/21 | 9:30 PM | New Zealand | 29 | Kenya | 7 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 2:30 AM | Canada | 12 | Fiji | 26 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 3:00 AM | France | 40 | Brazil | 5 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 3:30 AM | Australia | 26 | China | 10 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 4:00 AM | USA | 17 | Japan | 7 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 4:30 AM | New Zealand | 26 | Great Britain | 21 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 5:00 AM | Russia | 35 | Kenya | 12 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 7:00 PM | Fiji | 41 | Brazil | 5 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 7:30 PM | Canada | 0 | France | 31 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 8:00 PM | China | 29 | Japan | 0 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 8:30 PM | Australia | 12 | United States | 14 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 9:00 PM | Great Britain | 31 | Kenya | 0 | Pool |
| 7/29/21 | 9:30 PM | New Zealand | 33 | Russia | 0 | Pool |
| 7/30/21 | 2:30 AM | Kenya | 21 | Japan | 17 | Placing 9-12 |
| 7/30/21 | 3:00 AM | Canada | 45 | Brazil | 0 | Placing 9-12 |
| 7/30/21 | 3:30 AM | New Zealand | 36 | Russia | 0 | QFs |
| 7/30/21 | 4:00 AM | Fiji | 14 | Australia | 12 | QFs |
| 7/30/21 | 4:30 AM | Great Britain | 21 | USA | 12 | QFs |
| 7/30/21 | 5:00 AM | Brazil | 21 | Japan | 12 | QFs |
| 7/30/21 | 7:00 PM | Canada | 24 | Kenya | 10 | Placing 9-10 |
| 7/30/21 | 8:00 PM | Russia | 7 | Australia | 35 | Placing 5-8 |
| 7/30/21 | 8:30 PM | USA | 33 | China | 14 | Placing 5-8 |
| 7/30/21 | 9:00 PM | New Zealand | 22 | Fiji | 17 | SFs |
| 7/30/21 | 9:30 PM | Great Britain | 19 | France | 26 | SFs |
| 7/31/21 | 2:30 AM | China | 22 | Russia | 10 | Placing 7-8 |
| 7/31/21 | 3:00 AM | Australia | 17 | USA | 7 | Placing 5-6 |
| 7/31/21 | 3:30 AM | Fiji | 21 | Great Britain | 12 | Bronze Medal Match |
| 7/31/21 | 4:00 AM | New Zealand | 26 | France | 12 | Gold Medal Match |
Squads
Australia
Shannon Parry (co-capt.), Sharni Williams (co-capt.), Faith Nathan, Dominique Du Toit, Emma Tonegato, Evania Pelite, Charlotte Caslick, Madison Ashby, Tia Hinds, Sariah Paki, Demi Hayes, Maddison Levi
Brazil
Nicolau, Luiza Gonzalez da Costa, Rafaela Zanellato, Leila Cassia dos Santos, Thalia da Silva Costa, Isadora Cerullo, Aline Ribeiro Furtado, Mariana Fiovaranti, Haline Leme Scatrut, Raquel Kochhann (captain), Bianca dos Santos Silva and Thalita da Silva Costa. The two reserve athletes selected are Eshyllen Coimbra and Gabriela Lima
Canada
Elissa Alarie, Olivia Apps, Britt Benn, Pamphinette Buisa, Bianca Farella, Julia Greenshields, Ghislaine Landry, Kaili Lukan, Kayla Moleschi, Breanne Nicholas, Karen Paquin, Keyara Wardley, Charity Williams
China
Tang Minglin, Ruan Hongting, Wu Juan, Wang Wanyu, Liu Xiaoqian, Yan Meiling, Xu Xiaoyan, Yu Xiaoming, Yu Liping, Yang Min (captain), Chen Keyi, Yang Feifei, Gu Yaoyao
Fiji
Rusila Nagasau (captain), Rejieli Daveua, Sesenieli Donu, Vasiti Solikoviti, Reapi Uluinasau, Tokasa Seniyasi, Viniana Riwai, Ana Naimasi, Aloesi Nakoci, Laisana Likuceva, Roela Radiniyavuna, Lavena Cavuru. Reserves: Lavenia Tinai, Ana Maria Roqica, Rejieli Uluinayau
France
Coralie Bertrand, Anne-Cécile Ciofani, Caroline Drouin, Camille Grassineau, Lina Guerin, Fanny Horta, Shannon Izar, Chloé Jacquet, Carla Neisen, Séraphine Okemba, Chloé Pelle, Jade Ulutule, Joanna Grisez, Nassira Konde, Yolaine Yengo
Great Britain
Celia Quansah, Deborah Fleming, Alex Matthews, Abbie Brown (co-captain), Abi Burton, Holly Aitchison, Natasha Hunt, Megan Jones (co-captain), Helena Rowland, Hannah Smith, Emma Uren, Jasmine Joyce, Lisa Thomson (13th player)
Japan
Mei Ohtani, Marin Kajiki, Mifuyu Koide, Mayu Shimizu (co-captain), Miyu Shirako, Honoka Tsutsumi, Hana Nagata, Bativakalolo Raichelmiyo (co-captain), Wakaba Hara, Yume Hirano, Haruka Hirotsu, Rinka Matsuda
Kenya
Philadelphia Olando (Capt.),Sheila Chajira, Stellah Wafula, Christabel Lindo, Leah Wambui, Judith Auma, Vivian Akumu, Sarah Oluche, Grace Adhiambo, Cynthia Atieno, Janet Okello, Sinaida Aura, Diana Awino
New Zealand
Portia Woodman, Sarah Hirini (capt.), Ruby Tui, Tyla Nathan Wong, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Stacey Fluhler, Michaela Blyde, Alena Saili, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane, Kelly Brazier, Gayle Broughton, Shiray Kaka
Russia (ROC)
Daria Noritsina, Mariya Pogrebnyak, Daria Shestakova, Alena Tiron , Baizat Khamidova, Iana Danilova, Kristina Seredina, Marina Kukina, Daria Lushina, Elena Zdrokova, Nadezhda Sozonova, Anna Baranchuk
USA
Kayla Canett-Oca, Lauren Doyle, Cheta Emba, Abby Gustaitis (co-captain), Nicole Heavirland, Alev Kelter, Kristi Kirshe, Ilona Maher, Jordan Matyas, Ariana Ramsey, Naya Tapper, Kristen Thomas (co-captain), Nia Toliver (13th player), Kasey McCravey (travelling reserve), Nana Fa’avesi (travelling reserve)
Past Results
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