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Canada, Australia grab Olympic sevens spots

(Reuters) - Australia and Canada have qualified for the women's rugby sevens tournament at the 2016 Rio Olympics after making the quarter-finals at the Amsterdam tournament in the world sevens series. The two sides join New Zealand, who qualified for Rio at the previous tournament in London. "It's been hard work and a long process for us," Canada captain Jen Kish told World Rugby's sevens website. "To finally get to Rio and have our dreams become a reality is amazing." The United States, France and England are still chasing the fourth qualification spot from the series with the results of the quarter-finals on Saturday to determine who automatically advances to next year's Olympics. Six other teams will qualify for the Rio Games through regional tournaments later this year. Brazil qualify as hosts with one other side advancing to the 12-team competition via a repechage tournament. England, who will represent Team GB at Rio, are sixth in the series standings and face New Zealand in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Sean Horan's New Zealand side wrapped up their third successive sevens series title by making the quarter-finals in Amsterdam. "It was really pleasing," Horan said. "To have a performance goal at the beginning of the world series that included Olympic qualification for Rio and to go well in the series was pleasing, and to be able to wrap it up by hopping on the field was pretty special." (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)