Australia lift London title

Cup Semi Finals

First up it wasRussia v Canadaand the Canadians were just too good winning 26-5. With Karen Paquin once again excellent out wide, and Canada benefitting through a physical defence, tries from Farella and the brilliant Landry as well as Harvey and Alarie was too much for Russia who scored though the pace of Bogacheva.

USA v Francewas a much tighter affair but the aggresive nature of the Americans at the breakdown made life very difficult for the French, who had to throw numbers in to win any ball at all. France did score two terrific tries through Horta and Pelle but scores from Baravilala, Folayan and Thomas put the USA into the Semis.

New Zealandcontinued their march to another title with a 24-12 win overEnglandwithout ever having to go into fifth gear. Portia Woodman grabbed a brace to help her side into a lead but Watmore got back a score for England to make it tight at the break. Order was restored when New Zealand dotted down twice more and Burfords try for England was a consolation at the death.

Australialed 12-0 againstSpainat halftime with some excellent passing and clincial finishing seeing Sharni William's side take control.  Despite two yellow cards reducing them to five players for the final minute, Australia had too much in the tank and won it 19-0

Semi Final lineup: New Zealand V Australia; USA v Canada

Bowl Semi-finals

Fijiwere simply too strong, fast and, well, Fijian forSouth Africawho, aside from one well taken opportunity, were always chasing the game Three tries and three conversions from Tisolo showed the great talent she is, both scoring and setting up tries. If Fiji could get a tenth of the support the larger teams (the fitness to keep at the same level thoughout a day remains their problem) get you wonder what they would do - as it is they reached the bowl final 38-5.

Chinatook the lead againstBrazilwith a great finish from the speedster Schihao but Brazil fought back and just on the stroke of halftime scored after a number of hand offs from Esteves but the Chinese led 7-5 at the break.  A try to either side after the break made it tight and with China reduced to 6 players, Brazil made the extra player count to go ahead 17-14 but there was one last ditch effort from China and what an effort it was with some brilliant passing seeing Yang over in the corner for her side to win it 19-17.

Bowl Final:Fiji V China

Plate Semi-finals

The all-European plate competition began withRussiataking onFrance.France took an early two try lead, but by half time great tries from Bogacheva and Kudinova had pulled Russia into a 14-10 lead. The second period was all France, however with an early try Ladagnous try putting France back in the lead (with a great conversion from Biscarat), before a long period of pressure on the Russian line (for sevens!) finally ended with a second try for Ladagnous - and a place in the plate final.

It was thenEngland v Spainand this one hung in the balance right to the end. England got off to a flying start with a try from the impressive Wilson-Hardy but they couldn't do enough with the vast amount of ball they had and Spain defended well to keep it that way at the break. Spain had a few chances in the second half but England finally, after hard work, crossed right at the death through Burford to make it 10-0 and secure a spot in the final.

Cup semi-finals

Canadareached thier first final of the season after a titanic battle with the United States. For the first three or four minutes of the game the US could barely get a finger on the ball, such was Canada's domination - and as a result Canada looked on for a comforable win with a Brittany Benn try, and a wonderful piece of footwork from Ashley Staecy to give Canada a 12-0 lead. But the US were not finished, and Vik Folayan saw the gap to sprint down the touchline and end the first half at 12-7. Deadlock was the state of play for the opening of the second half, before another piece of individual brilliance by Folayan put the USA in the lead 14-12.  Even then game still had one more twist, with a great period of Canadian attack ending in a Magali Harvey try. USA still fought hard in the final seconds, but after the hooter Canada just managed to get the ball into touch to take the game.

Australia  v New Zealandwas also a cracker, with a superb display from the Australians, handing NZ their second loss of the weekend.  Australia raced into a 19-0 lead with Chloe Dalton also slotting a couple of brilliant conversions .Australia did almost everything right in the first half, taking all of their chances and starving NZ of any posession until the final minute.  New Zealand looked cagey and lacked their usual fluency but managed to get a try back in the second half through Woodman. Ellia Green then scored one of the tries of the weekend with a brilliant finish, full of speed and power and Australia won it 24-5.

Play-offs

11th placewent to South Africa, who looked like they were going to take the game easily with two early tries, but Beatriz Muhlbauer seized a chance to sprint down the near touchline before scoring under the posts to make it just 14-7 at half time. South Africa continued to dominate and spent almost the entire second half inside the Brazilian 22, but failed to score. In the final second Brazil broke out and threatened to steal the game, but South Africa hung on to take two series points.

Fijiwon theBowlwith some ease over China. A 31-0 win with tries from Vodo, Savu, Tissolo and finally captain Roqica - Fiji were just too strong, too powerful for the Chinese.

Russiatook 7th place with a 19-7 win overSpain.Both sides looked tired and it was 12-7 in the final minute with Spain pressing but a good finish from Bogacheva wrapped it up. England took the Plate with a 19-0 win over France - but it could have been very different if what looked like a try for France's Rose Thomas had not been disallowed for a very slight knock-on. From that resulting scrum England started a move that lead ultimately to their first try from Watmore. The next try was a Keystone Cops affair with two French players slipping over while trying to take a loose ball which was eventually kicked on for Watmore to add her second try. That was half-time, and while France had plenty of possession in the second half they were unable to convert that into points - or even much territory, England holding them out before turning over. Finally Kay Wilson outpaced the French defence, running round the end of the line to add a third try and give England another plate.

Cup Final

Before the final, USA and New Zealand played out an entertaining 3rd place playoff in Twickenham. The ever improving United States made a good start with some impressive, and patient, build-up play which saw Leyla Alev Kelter score first. Then they went further ahead when Victoria Folayan got around Portia  Woodman for a try.  It looked as if remarkably New Zealand were on course for their third win of the weekend,  howeverGayle Broughton got New Zealand back in the game with a try and then Woodman allowed New Zealand to claim the lead when scoring her 50th try of the season.In the second half the United States latched onto a misdirected pass and Bui Baravilala scored to put them back in front,before Shiray Tane capitalised on the pressure New Zealand applied and while still down 17-19, a well-built move saw the impressive Whata-Simpkins score for a 24-19 win and third place.

Then it wasAustralia and Canada-two sides who have hunted New Zealand closely all year without reward of a title.  Sharni Williams gave Australia an early lead only for Kayla Moleschi (2) and Ghislaine Landry to give the Canada a 17-5 lead in what was unfolding as an excellent final.

With Amy Turner in the sin-bin after being called for a high tackle and four minutes left on the clock, time was running out. However, Charlotte Caslick gave the Aussies a glimmer of hope with three minutes left when she crossed over in the corner and Nicole Beck drew her side within two points in the final minute. Trailing by two points and in the final 40 seconds, Canada had the ball in their own 22 only to give away a penalty. From the resulting set-play, the ball was worked to Ellia Green who did the rest to hand Australia the title