Spain's women's sevens rugby team claims 2nd place in sao paulo tournament
Spain’s women's Sevens rugby team finished third at the Sao Paulo tournament, the final stage of the World Series’ second division, securing a valuable 16 points that propel them to second place in the overall standings. The performance positions them alongside Argentina, the tournament leader, South Africa, and Brazil for the final phase tournaments starting next month.
Spain qualifies for final tournaments after sao paulo show
The second-place finish guarantees Spain a spot in the final three tournaments, where they will compete against the top eight teams on the circuit: New Zealand, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, United States, Fiji, and Great Britain. The tournament in Sao Paulo saw a mixed bag of results for the Spanish 'Leonas'. Their opening match pitted them against South Africa, a contest dominated by the fierce South African defense until Simamkele Namba scored the decisive try in the final moments, sealing a 19-5 victory for the Springbok Women.
However, the team showed resilience in their second match, against China. A yellow card for Zhang Rui early in the second half allowed Spain to capitalize, scoring two tries, one from Denisse Gortázar. Despite Hu Yu narrowing the gap before halftime (12-7), tries from Carmen Miranda and Ana Cortés secured a comfortable 26-7 win for Spain.
The first setback came against Kenya, where tries from García Gala, Gortázar, and Calvo weren't enough to overcome Janet Okelo's powerful offensive display, ultimately resulting in a 17-24 defeat. Sunday’s schedule began with a commanding 22-7 victory over Argentina, with contributions from Olivia Fresneda, García Gala, and a brace from Gortázar. Azul Medina scored for Argentina.
A lackluster performance followed against Brazil, with the Brazilian team ultimately prevailing 38-7. Thalia Costa proved too swift for the Spanish defense, scoring two tries in the opening minutes. Gortázar managed a response just before halftime (7-14), but Brazil dominated the second half.
The Sao Paulo tournament concludes with a significant achievement for the Spanish team. Their second-place finish demonstrates a growing competitiveness within the international Sevens rugby scene. The upcoming final tournaments represent a golden opportunity to test themselves against the very best.
The Spanish team’s progression is a testament to the dedication of its players and coaching staff. They’ve proven capable of competing at the highest level, and the next stage will reveal whether they can translate that potential into silverware.