Olympics: Katy Mclean to play for bronze medal after rugby sevens heartache

Katy Mclean will tonight be playing to bring a bronze medal back to the North-East after Rio heartbreak.
Katy McleanKaty Mclean
Katy Mclean

The South Shields girl was part of the Team GB side beaten 25-7 by New Zealand in the semi-final of the Olympic Rugby Sevens.

Britain went into the game in confident mood but were undone by two yellow cards in the space of a minute just before-half-time.

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Mclean was the first to be sent to the sin-bin, soon followed by Amy Wilson Hardy.

With the Kiwis having seven players to five of Team GB, the All Black machine took full advantage, winning 25-7, Portia Woodman scoring a hat-trick.

Team GB can’t feel sorry for themselves for too long – they face Canada in the bronze play-off at 10.30pm BST.

Britain do have a psychological advantage, having beaten the Canadians in Pool C.

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Team GB had gone into the semi with the All Blacks unbeaten but Woodman’s first score put the Kiwis 5-0 in front.

But the team in red came back when Mclean played the scoring pass to Alice Richardson who sprinted over from 20 metres, Katy adding the conversion.

However, that was as good as it got for GB, who conceded the lead to another try and when Mclean lost the ball, she committed rugby’s version of a penalty try and was sent to the sin-bin.

And when Hardy followed seconds later for tackling a player in the air, the game was as good as up.

Darlington Mowden Park star Mclean did return early in the second half but three All Blacks tries finished the match as a contest.