Australia beat New Zealand 24-17 in the final of the Women's Sevens at the Olympic Games on Monday.

The finalists were joined on the podium by Canada, who defeated Great Britain 33-10 to claim the bronze medal.

It was the Kiwis who opened the scoring in the gold-medal match with a fifth-minute try by Kayla McAlister. Emma Tonegato then levelled the scores three minutes later when she squeezed over in the corner.

A defining moment came when Portia Woodman, New Zealand’s hat-trick hero in the semi-finals and the competition’s top scorer, was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on with time up in the first half. Australia made their advantage count with Evania Pelite and Ellia Green scoring tries.

Charlotte Caslick's try then gave Australia a 24-5 lead, before McAlister scored her second for New Zealand.

Woodman grabbed a try with time up on the clock – her 10th of the competition – but was inconsolable, knowing how costly her yellow card had been to New Zealand, and the Australian celebrations began.

Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images