HSBC SVNS: New Zealand, Australia, France and USA take control on day one

The format meant that every match counted as teams sought to avoid a defeat that would jeopardise their chances of fighting for the title on Sunday.

Four teams emerged unscathed from the 12 matches on day one. Australia – champions in Dubai last week – will meet Olympic bronze medallists USA for a place in the final, while Olympic champions and last weekend’s losing finalists New Zealand take on France.

POOL A – Dangerous Australia ease into last four

Australia survived being reduced to five players for more than a minute unscathed as they beat Canada 26-10 to continue their unbeaten run in this HSBC SVNS series. Tia Hinds, Heidi Dennis, Mackenzie Davis, and Sariah Paki all scored as the Dubai winners maintained their hopes of a second title in as many weeks. 

Australia’s second outing of the day was also notable that Maddison Levi failed to get on the scoreboard for the first time in 27 matches.

She had earlier taken her try tally this season to 18 with a hat-trick as Australia beat Brazil 45-5. Heidi Dennis added two of her own in a confident opening at DHL Stadium. Yasmim Soares got the consolation try for Brazil.

Six Canadian players got on the scoresheet – Carissa Norsten contributing two – as they beat a plucky Brazil 43-17 in the opening match of the day. Thalia Costa, who else?, got a brace for the South Americans to get within five of 100 international touchdowns

POOL B – New Zealand survive Japan scare

Manaia Nuku finished off a late, late 80m multiphase try as New Zealand – runners-up in Dubai last weekend – survived a Pool B scare against Japan to set up a semi-final against France. 

Nuku’s breakout try took the Black Ferns Sevens out of reach, taking the score to 22-12 after they had been 12-10 down at the break. Discipline will be repeatedly mentioned in the evening debrief, after they gave up two yellows in their opening two games.

They had earlier made rather lighter work of opening opponents China, running in six tries – Mahina Paul and Risi Pouri-Lane getting two each – to open their Cape Town account with a 40-10 win.

Japan had opened their account with a hard-fought 14-7 win over determined and defensively organised China, courtesy of tries from Chiaki Saegusa and Suzuha Okamoto.

POOL C – France concede nothing to book last-four place

A week on from their third-place finish in Dubai, France made sure they will be involved in the semi-finals in Cape Town with two hard-working wins to finish top of Pool C without conceding a single point.

France pulled away from Spain in the second half of a scrappy opening match, three unanswered tries easing them to a 21-0 win to set up a decider against Ireland, after being held scoreless by their dogged opponents in a dramatic and draining first period.

They followed up with a work-womanlike 15-0 win over Ireland to claim top spot – Lili Dezou and Hawa Tounkara scoring in quick succession late on to make sure of their win.

Earlier, Eve Higgins marked her 50th tournament for Ireland with two tries as they beat Spain 34-5, Hannah Clarke adding two scores of her own. Zahia Perez got a consolation try for the Spaniards with the final play of the match.

POOL D – Tolliver leads USA into semis

Nia Tolliver was USA’s star on day one in Cape Town, scoring four tries to add to her tally of six in Dubai last week as they picked up the two wins they needed to book their place in Sunday’s semi-finals.

Tolliver scored a double – as did Alyssa Porter in a comfortable 31-0 win over an ill-disciplined Fiji side in their opening outing of the day.

And she notched another double as they eased away from Great Britain – who finished fourth in Dubai last weekend – to win the final Pool D match 31-14 and become the first team to reach the last four.

A double for Grace Crompton had earlier helped Britain to a 22-5 win over Fijiana to set up a winner-takes-all decider against the Americans.