Vancouver, February 26 (Punjab Khabarnama): In the Vancouver Sevens final, Argentina’s Matias Osadczuk secured a hat-trick in the second half, leading his team to a 36-12 victory over New Zealand. Argentina has now triumphed in the last three World Series tournaments, maintaining a 15-match winning streak. Despite New Zealand’s early lead of 12-0, Argentina showcased its strength, with Marcos Moneta and Luciano Gonzalez leveling the match at 12-12 by halftime. Osadczuk’s three quick tries in the second half sealed the win, and Matteo Graziano added a final try.
In the women’s final, New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scored three tries, helping her team secure a 35-19 victory against France. Woodman-Wickliffe’s hat-trick elevated her all-time try-scoring record in the World Series to 243. Despite an early 7-7 tie, New Zealand dominated, with Michaela Blyde and Georgia Miller contributing to the team’s commanding lead by halftime.
Argentina now leads the men’s series by 24 points, with New Zealand ending its season-long title drought in the women’s category. Australia, despite finishing fourth in Vancouver, retains a six-point lead over New Zealand in the overall World Series standings. France sits in third place.
In the men’s third-place playoff, Antoine Dupont played a pivotal role as France overcame a 12-0 deficit to defeat the United States 42-12. The extraordinary performance by Dupont, on leave from the France 15s team, highlighted his commitment to pursuing his dream of representing France in both rugby formats.
In the women’s third-place playoff, hosts Canada, boosted by the return of 15s star Sophie de Goede, secured a 19-14 victory against 2016 Olympic champion Australia. The New Zealand women’s team now looks ahead with pride, emphasizing the remarkable depth within their squad that contributed to their success in the tournament.
