Every picture tells a story and snappers are on the button with unforgettable images at any major sporting event, and that was no different at the HSBC Clermont-Ferrand Sevens in France over the weekend.

Everyone will have their own special memory from the tournament which Australia create history with a first-ever HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series title but be denied the perfect ending by Canada, who won the final round of the 2015-16 series.

Here are just a few of the moments from the two days at the Stade Gabriel-Montpied.

YOUR CHAMPIONS: Five events, three titles, a runners-up finish and a worst placing of third is an impressive record by any team's standards and Australia were fitting champions, their country's first-ever sevens series winners. With threats all over the park, Tim Walsh's charges are not a group who will back down from any challenge and this defeat - only their third of the season remember - will only make them more determined to bounce back and claim another piece of history with the first Olympic gold medal in Rio this August.

THE FINAL WORD: Canada clearly like to finish a season on a high as just like in 2014-15 they lifted the trophy at the final round. Twelve months ago in Amsterdam it was their first Cup success, ironically also against Australia, but this time they got off to a fantastic start with tries from Magali Harvey, HSBC Player of the Final Kelly Russell, Ghislaine Landry and Brittany Benn giving the women in red an unexpected 26-7 advantage at half-time. And to think they did it without their inspirational captain Jen Kish who was injured on day one. 

INSPIRATIONAL: Canada may have been missing Kish, but in Ghislaine Landry they have another player capable of inspiring those around her as her form on day two in Clermont-Ferrand showed. She scored six tries in the knockout stages, including a hat-trick against England in the semi-finals, and more than half of Canada's points in those three matches, a performance that helped her overtake Emilee Cherry to become the top points scorer on the 2015-16 series with 158. Her penalty to make certain of victory in the final was only the fourth penalty kicked all season as well.

TRY-SCORING MACHINE: Portia Woodman came into the season finale four tries behind Cherry in the race to top-scorer, but 10 tries later - including two hat-tricks - and the former netballer had finished top of the charts for the third time in four series. She's equally adept in defence as pictured here and while 24 was a long way short of the 52 she crossed for last season, she has certainly rediscovered that scoring feeling and teams will hope not to see Woodman and Kayla McAlister ripping them apart again at Rio 2016.

CONFIDENCE BOOST: While many of the teams in Clermont-Ferrand have known all year that they will be playing at Rio 2016, Spain are one nation who still have to qualify but will arrive in Ireland next month for the women's global repechage full of confidence after not only securing their core team status for the 2016-17 series but also reaching back-to-back Cup quarter-finals in Langford and France. Russia may have finished above them in the series standings, but Spain are the side in form and will hope that means they will claim the 12th and final place at Rio 2016. 

WELCOME: Rio 2016 bound Kenya became the 20th team to play on the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series in the Auvergne region of France and battled valiantly before getting a morale-boosting victory against 2015-16 core team Japan in the 11th place play-off on Sunday. Janet Okelo scored both of the Lionesses' tries in the 12-5 victory and they will have learnt plenty on their first taste among the world's elite nations.

SAME AGAIN PLEASE: This series has been the most competitive yet with sides taking different approaches on the road to Rio 2016. Australia went out to dominate and did so with three titles, New Zealand wanted to ensure they hit peak at the right time for Rio, England ended a three-year wait for a second tournament title, Russia reached another final, Kenya and Colombia made their series debuts and upsets became more commonplace. Let's hope for more of the same at the Olympic Games please!

Photo credit: I Picarel