Sport

NZ womens sevens dominate Atlanta tournament

12:23 pm on 19 March 2015

The New Zealand women's rugby sevens team continues to dominate the World Series after scoring a comprehensive 50-12 win over the United States in the final of the Atlanta tournament.

With nearest rivals Australia beaten in the quarter-finals, the New Zealanders have now extended their lead at the top of the standings to 12 points.

Portia Woodman Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Outstanding flyer Portia Woodman touched down five times in the final to end the tournament with 14 tries in another key performance for the side.

They'd earlier beaten Canada 24-22 in their semi-final.

New Zealand, who also won the first two rounds in Dubai and Brazil, now have 60 points, while Canada and Australia have 48.

The top four teams after the five-round series automatically qualify for next year's Olympics.

Coach Sean Horan is delighted with the third tournament win of the series and while the side looks good for qualification for next year's Olympic Games he's not prepared to concede that yet, saying a top four finish in the fourth round of the series in Canada next month would achieve that goal.

Horan says the side were given a reminder of what was required to win when taken close by Canada 24-22 in their semi.

He says it gave them a foundation to build on and they showed some of the character they have been developing.

Horan says sevens is a hard sport and you have to be ruthless, his side showed a lot of faith in each other and their tactical awareness was good.