The Black Ferns Sevens have claimed their first victory of the current World Sevens Series, defeating Australia to lift the title at Toulouse.
After a 21-17 defeat to Australia in the final of the last World Series leg at Langford earlier this month, the Black Ferns Sevens had their revenge with a 21-14 victory in the final, clawing back from behind at halftime.
Tries to Risi Pouri-Lane, Alena Saili and Kelly Brazier completed the Black Ferns Sevens' comeback, seeing them end the current World Series with one tournament victory and one runners-up spot to finish fifth on the final standings.
And despite their final defeat, Australia did enough to ensure that they would finish with the World Series crown - albeit in hollow circumstances, with New Zealand only playing the final two legs due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Unbeaten through pool play, the Black Ferns Sevens cruised into the knockout stage without conceding a point, defeating Scotland, Spain and Canada in pool play, before dispatching Brazil in the quarter-final.
New Zealand's first test came against Fiji in the semi-final, conceding their first points in a 24-14 victory, to set up the decider against Australia.
In the men's side of the draw, the All Blacks Sevens were forced to settle for ninth place, defeating Scotland 42-7.
The New Zealand men missed out on the chance to compete for the title at Toulouse thanks to finishing third in their pool on points differential, with a 29014 defeat to Australia seeing the All Blacks Sevens finish with an inferior points differential to the USA.
Fiji won the men's tournament, defeating Ireland 29-17 in the final.
The Toulouse event was the Black Ferns Sevens' last before the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in July.
Meanwhile, the men's World Series travels to London for another tournament next week as their final pre-Birmingham hitout, before their World Series concludes with the Los Angeles leg, beginning August 27.
