The Black Ferns Sevens celebrate after beating France to win gold. Photo / Getty
The Black Ferns Sevens celebrate after beating France to win gold. Photo / Getty
The Black Ferns sevens team are the Olympic champions.
Five years after coming second to Australia in the final in Rio, and days after the men's team won silver, the Black Ferns were deserved winners over France tonight; their dominant 26-12 victory a triumph of strategy, attacking intelligence and goodold-fashioned Kiwi grit.
In truth their hardest opponents in Tokyo were Fiji in the semifinal several hours earlier which went to extra time, but the big unknown was how much that hard-fought and at times frantic 22-17 victory had taken out of them.
Not too much as it turned out because the Black Ferns were far too good for France across the field. They played with more energy and commitment – the heartache of 2016 well and truly exorcised.
They had nearly the perfect start, with Sarah Hirini, the captain courageous and probably the most influential player on the pitch, claiming the kick-off and prominent again in a move which sent speedster Michaela Blyde under the posts with exactly one minute gone.
Michaela Blyde (L) and Shiray Kaka (R) celebrate after defeating France. Photo / Getty
An early kick through, which was regained, suggested the women in black had thought hard and long about their tactics against the French but despite their early momentum a loose pass from Ruby Tui gave away possession, with Caroline Drouin the ultimate beneficiary for France.
That 7-5 margin was as close as it got for France, with the outstanding Gayle Broughton over for a spectacular try in the left corner and Stacey Fluhler over again with a beautifully constructed try from a move off a penalty tap from 40m out just before halftime.
That gave the Black Ferns a 19-5 halftime lead and the game was theirs to lose. France got one back after the break when Anne-Cecile Ciofani was over in the corner for France after the restart, a try which she did well to convert.
But the Black Ferns weren't to be denied. They poured on the pressure and a run of penalties had France on the back foot. With Hirini again pulling the strings, Tyla Nathan-Wong was under the posts on a penalty advantage for a try which she converted, and time was quickly running out for France.
New Zealand's Tyla Nathan-Wong, right, hugs her teammate Kelly Brazier as they celebrate winning their women's rugby sevens gold medal match against France. Photo / AP
There was still time for a brilliant Broughton turnover penalty, Portia Woodman to get over the line for a possible try ruled out for a foot in touch and then a Tui turnover penalty as the French struggled to get out of their 22m area.
Little Black Ferns speedster Blyde, who appeared hampered by a hamstring injury over the last two games, was smiling well before the final whistle and when Kelly Brazier kicked the ball out after the final hooter the celebrations could start in earnest.
"I'm just so happy," Hirini, fighting back tears and sporting a rapidly blackening right eye, said.
"There's so much going through my mind. I love you mum, I miss you."
Hirini's mum, Ronnie Goss, died in March - on her 53rd birthday - and the Black Ferns captain told TVNZ before the Games that her death was still "really raw".
Last night she was riding a wave of emotion.
"I'm just so grateful to be a part of the best team in the world. Man, this team has been through a lot over the last five years and we're bringing home a gold medal. I'm just so proud. We love each other. It's pretty special. We've been together for two months now. It's such a special group and this is the last time we'll be playing together as a team.
"We love to have a good time and that's probably the most important thing for us."
The Black Ferns Sevens celebrate after beating France to win gold. Photo / Getty
Earlier, Fiji beat Great Britain 21-12 for the bronze medal, an achievement not forgotten by Hirini.
"I'm so proud of Fiji, they just won a bronze medal for their country," she said. "They deserved that so much. They pushed us all the way to the end. They played to their potential in that semifinal and I'm just glad we have some superstar players who can stand up when they need to and score in the last minutes."
Hirini also had a message for New Zeaanders watching in TV, after their heart-stopping semifinal extra time victory against the Fijians: "I'm so glad we have superstar players who can standup if they need to and score in the last minute to win the game. I'm sorry about that, New Zealand!"
