Rio Olympics: Katy Mclean stars as Team GB reach rugby sevens semi-final

Great Britain's Emily Scarratt, looks on after scoring a try during the rugby sevens match against Canada

The 30-year-old, the pride of the North-East, played a key role in Team GB’s win over Fiji in the last eight.

It was the fourth win inside two days for the impressive British side, who now face New Zealand in Monday night’s semi-final (kick-off 6.30pm BST).

The 2003 World Cup winning union coach Clive Woodward said on BBC Two that the side can go all the way.

“The quality of the performance, they really have played well,” he said.

“There is some real pace in this team and they should have no fear going ahead.”

Mclean had a say in two of the British tries, for Abbie Brown and Alice Richardson, with Brown scoring another and Jo Watmore also on the mark.

The South Shields girl, who plays for Darlington Mowden Park, added a conversion.

Litia Naiqato became the first girl to score a try against Team GB at the Olympics and it was a great team effort from Fiji but the day belonged to the English girls, with the former Sunderland teacher at the heart of the success.

GB had racked up two pool victories on the opening day of action at Deodoro Stadium.

Emily Scarratt’s team followed up an opening 29-3 victory over host nation Brazil by crushing Japan 40-0 thanks to touchdowns from Amy Wilson Hardy, Richardson, Watmore, McLean, Emily Scott and Heather Fisher.

They also did not concede a try in either game, setting themselves up nicely for today’s Pool C decider against Canada.

And Team GB did not disappoint, beating the Canadians, who McLean skippered to the 2014 Rugby World Cup final glory for England, 22-0.

Scarratt led from the front, scoring two second-half tries, Richardson and Wilson-Hardy also touching down to set up that quarter-final with Fiji.