PARIS (Reuters)

Defending champions New Zealand stormed into the Olympic women’s rugby sevens final on Tuesday when they poured on the power in the second half to secure a 24-12 victory over the United States and set up a decider against either Australia or Canada.

New Zealand had reached the final with an Olympic record 55-5 victory over China on Monday — their fourth successive big win — but were given a stiffer test by a U.S. team playing in the semi-finals for the first time.

In brutally hot conditions Alev Kelter put the underdogs ahead but New Zealand worked space for Stacey Waaka to cross.

She thought she had a second but had a foot in touch, so they turned around 7-5 ahead.

There was no question about the next score, however, as a quickly-taken tap penalty in front of the U.S. posts after really aggressive New Zealand tackling sent Waaka over.

The unstoppable Michaela Blyde then twice left her opponents for dead for her eighth and ninth tournament tries, with Kristi Kirshe grabbing a late American consolation.

Rio 2016 champions Australia face Canada, who shocked France in the quarter-finals, later on Tuesday, ahead of the final at 17.45 GMT.

In the placings playoffs, France beat Ireland 19-7 and will play China, who beat Britain 19-15, to decide fifth and sixth.

The Stade de France crowd appeared to have overcome the disappointment of their team’s quarter-final defeat and were in good voice as the hosts came from 7-0 down at halftime.

The giant Seraphine Okemba scored two of their three tries, having scored four in their final pool game on Monday, making the decision not to start with her in the quarter-final seemingly even more inexplicable.

Britain had the game against China in the bag as they led and were in possession when the hooter sounded but, incredibly, instead of kicking the ball dead, Isla Norman-Bell threw it directly into touch. China were awarded a penalty and Hu Yu duly scored the match-winning try.