The U.S. women's rugby team lost to New Zealand in the Olympics semifinals Tuesday, but the team still has the chance to leave Paris with its first Olympic medal.
The U.S. lost to New Zealand 12-24 earlier on Tuesday. Alev Kelter and Kristi Kirshe scored tries for the United States and Alena Olsen scored a conversion.
After the loss, Team USA will play Australia in the bronze medal match at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
The United States has not medaled in women's rugby since the sport's Olympic debut in Rio 2016. Regardless of whether they win or lose the bronze medal match, the team will have their best finish in an Olympics. The USA finished fifth in Rio and sixth in Tokyo. They assured no worse than a fourth-place finish in Paris.
Australia lost to Canada 12-21 in the other semifinal match. Canada will now play New Zealand at 1:45 p.m. in the women's rugby gold medal match. The two teams faced each other earlier in the tournament in group play. New Zealand won that previous match 33-7.
With a gold medal win Tuesday, New Zealand will become the first country to win two gold medals in women’s rugby sevens.
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How to watch USA women's rugby 7s on Tuesday?
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Watch all the action from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games live on Peacock
The USA women's rugby 7s semi-final match against New Zealand will be at 9:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday.
You can watch it on USA, Peacock or at this nbcolympics.com link. It will reair later in the afternoon on NBC.
When are the rugby bronze and gold medal matches?
The women's rugby finals are Tuesday starting at 1 p.m. on E! and will reair at 5 p.m. at USA network. They will be available to stream live at this link.
The women's bronze medal match is at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The women's gold medal match is 1:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Who is on the U.S. women's rugby team in 2024 in Paris?
Here's a look at who is on the women's rugby team for Team USA!
- Alena Olsen (Caledonia, Michigan)
- Alev Kelter (Eagle River, Alaska)
- Ariana Ramsey (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania)
- Ilona Maher (Burlington, Vermont)
- Kayla Canett (Fallbrook, California)
- Kristi Kirshe (Franklin, Massachusetts)
- Lauren Doyle (Team Co-Captain - Boody, Illinois)
- Naya Tapper (Team Co-Captain - Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Sammy Sullivan (Fayetteville, North Carolina)
- Sarah Levy (San Diego, California)
- Alex "Spiff" Sedrick (Herriman, Utah)
- Steph Rovetti (Reno, Nevada)
Traveling reserves:
- Nicole Heavirland (Whitefish, Montana)
- Kris Thomas (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Ilona Maher, 27, was a star at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.
When did women's rugby become an Olympic sport?
Women's rugby made its Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio.
Australia (gold), New Zealand (silver) and Canada (bronze) took home the medals in 2016. In 2020, New Zealand (gold), France (silver) and Fiji (bronze) won spots on the podium.
A medal for the U.S. women's rugby team in Paris would be its first.
What are the rules for rugby at the Paris Olympics?
Similar to American football in style, rugby is a 7-v-7 game between two teams where the objective is to score more "tries" than the other. A try -- equivalent to a touchdown -- is worth five points with an extra kick from the spot of the try worth another two points. Three points can be earned for a drop goal or penalty, although less common.
Games are split into two seven-minute halves so action is quick. Players can only make lateral or backwards passes to progress the ball, with tackling, scrums and kicks also involved.
How does scoring work in rugby?
Here's a look at how scoring works in rugby:
- 5 points - Try: scored when a player runs the ball over the goal line and touches it to the ground
- 7 points - Penalty try: scored when a serious foul prevents a likely try from occurring
- 2 points - Conversion: scored when a player from the team that scored a try attempts to drop-kick the ball through the uprights
- 3 points - Penalty: A team that is the victim of a serious foul can choose to "kick for goal" and would earn three points if successful
- 3 points - Drop goal: scored when a player kicks a goal from a drop-kick in open play
What is the field size for rugby at the Paris Olympics?
If you are unfamiliar with rugby, the terminology can feel a little daunting. Here is a quick guide to some of the sport’s most important terms.
The field size is essentially the same as a standard rugby union game. The field of play can be no more than 100 meters long and 70 meters wide, or 328 feet long and 229 feet wide.
