Click here for the full wrap and results>><\/a> <\/p>\nThe last-gasp Russian victory was significant for the event, but also for the IRB Women\u2019s Sevens World Series with the Cup quarter-finalists also booking places as core teams in the 2013\/14 IRB Women\u2019s Sevens World Series, which kicks off later in the year. <\/p>\n
Tunisia had the honour of kicking off the 42-match competition on another boiling day in Russia\u2019s capital, facing reigning IRB Women\u2019s Sevens World Series champions New Zealand in their first-ever Rugby World Cup Sevens event. <\/p>\n
While losing 36-0, the Tunisians had broken new ground for their nation and for women\u2019s team sport. Meanwhile, New Zealand ended the day undefeated after wins over the Netherlands and Canada in a tough Pool A. Canada, inspired by Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games gold medallist Heather Moyse, also progress. <\/p>\n
In Pool B defending champions Australia eased through the day undefeated to progress to the quarter-finals, where they will be joined by debutants Ireland, who looked strong in a pool that also featured South Africa and China. <\/p>\n
Fiji were the story in Pool C after fighting back to draw 14-14 with Spain in their first-ever Rugby World Cup Sevens match. USA topped the highly-competitive pool, but were pushed all the way by Spain, who join them in the quarter-finals and continue to impress as the sport counts down to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. <\/p>\n
In another highly-competitive pool, England, Russia and France battled hard to claim the two quarter-final spots. The tussle appeared to be going England\u2019s way until Russia\u2019s second-half comeback kept alive their hopes of lifting the coveted trophy. <\/p>\n
With matches taking place on the main Luzhniki Stadium pitch, the world\u2019s top women\u2019s Sevens players were able to taste the atmosphere in an Olympic venue three years before Sevens makes its debut at the Rio 2016 Games. <\/p>\n
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: \u201cThe strength of the Women\u2019s Game is one of the major Sevens success stories. Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 has showcased to a record broadcast platform the sheer skill, speed and talent that abounds in Women\u2019s Rugby and the real geographical spread of the competition nations.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been wonderful to welcome Tunisia, Fiji and Ireland\u2019s women to a Rugby World Cup Sevens for the first time. I am sure that the experience has injected further resolve to reach the Olympic Games and represent their nation and Rugby on sport\u2019s biggest stage.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
– Hosts through in dramatic final match – Top women\u2019s players showcase talents to global TV audience – Quarter-finals confirmed for RWC Sevens 2013 Finals Day – Eight teams book IRB Women’s Sevens Series Core Team Status Russia caused the biggest upset on the opening day of the women\u2019s competition at Rugby World Cup Sevens […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ulster-rugby"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49423"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49426,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49423\/revisions\/49426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}