Triple Olympian Joyce-Butchers missed out on a medal in Rio and Tokyo when Great Britain finished fourth on both occasions. The Welsh star had booked Great Britain’s spot into the quarter-finals when her devastating pace earned her two tries against South Africa in a 26-17 victory in the final pool game.
Great Britain actually opened the scoring against USA in the quarter-final clash but the physicality of the Americans over powered a gallant GB side in a 17-7 defeat.
Naya Tapper, Kristi Kirshe and Sammy Sullivan ran in three unanswered tries for USA as they came from behind to book their place in the last four after Ellie Boatman had opened the scoring for Great Britain in an all-action last-eight encounter.
Ilona Maher came close to adding a fourth, but was chased down by Joyce-Butchers in a physical and high-intensity encounter.
Tapper and Kirshe had been on the scoresheet in a losing cause when the two sides met in the medal quarter-final at Tokyo 2020 – but USA have had the better of more recent encounters, winning four of the five meetings in this year’s SVNS series, including at the Grand Final in Madrid.
“I just feel quite numb, to come out here and not make top four is really disappointing,” said Joyce-Butchers, “Each and every one of us gave everything.
“You give everything in an Olympic Games you really do put your bofy on the line for the team and everyone back at home and friends and family watching.
“We may not have a medal but we’ll always be an Olympian.”
Great Britain will now play China in the 5th-place semi-final.
