The Black Ferns sevens defended their Hong Kong title with a 19-14 victory over Australia on April 20, 2026, securing their sixth tournament win of the season and a fourth consecutive triumph at the 50th-anniversary event.
Latest Zealand scored three tries to Australia’s two, with Mahina Paul opening the scoring on her 25th birthday, Jorja Miller adding a second endeavor after a pass from Jaymie Kolose, and Kelsey Teneti touching down for the decisive third try early in the second half.
Australia responded through Isabella Nasser before halftime to trail 14-7, but a sin bin for Teagan Levi following a high challenge on Miller allowed Teneti to extend New Zealand’s lead.
Maddison Levi scored her seventh try of the weekend and 261st of her career in the final minute for Australia, but it was insufficient to overturn the deficit.
Player of the final Risi Pouri-Lane praised the squad effort, calling it an “awesome privilege” to play in the final at the home of sevens rugby, while Miller emphasized the team’s focus on improving ahead of the Valladolid World Championship leg in late May.
The win extended New Zealand’s dominance in the women’s series, marking their ninth victory in the last ten Hong Kong finals and reinforcing their status as the team to beat in the ongoing World Championship circuit.
In the men’s competition, South Africa claimed their first Hong Kong Sevens title by defeating Argentina 35-7, ending a history of final losses, while Australia’s men finished sixth after losing their fifth-place playoff to Fiji 26-10.
The All Blacks Sevens missed a medal, losing 32-28 to Spain in the third-place playoff after leading 28-22 midway through the second half.
The World Championship series continues with the second round in Valladolid, Spain, from May 29-31, 2026, followed by the final round in Bordeaux, France, in June, with the overall champion determined by cumulative points across the three events.
How did New Zealand secure the win despite Australia’s late try?
New Zealand built a 14-0 lead through tries by Mahina Paul and Jorja Miller, and although Australia reduced the deficit to 14-7 at halftime via Isabella Nasser, a second-period sin bin for Teagan Levi allowed Kelsey Teneti to score New Zealand’s third try, extending the lead to 19-7 before Maddison Levi’s late consolation effort.
What does this result mean for the 2026 World Championship standings?
With this victory, New Zealand moves into pole position in the World Championship series, having won the first of three tournaments, and will look to extend their lead in Valladolid and Bordeaux to secure the overall title based on cumulative points.