HSBC SVNS: Bittersweet milestone for Brazil’s Costa on day one in Perth

Thalia Costa became the first Brazil player to break the 100-try mark, but Brazil faltered as New Zealand took control of Pool A with a brace of big wins, while Australia, Canada, USA and France also went unbeaten on the opening day in Perth.

The Black Ferns Sevens scored 96 points and conceded just seven in two matches on a statement first day at HBF Park, but hosts Australia were almost as impressive, scoring 74 points and shipping a single converted try to finish the day above France in Pool C.

Costa, meanwhile, now has 101 international sevens tries to her name, but she and her team-mates could not avoid slipping to two defeats on a difficult afternoon. 

POOL A – 100 up for Brazil’s Costa

Katelyn Vahaakolo scored the first hat-trick of the HSBC SVNS weekend in Perth as New Zealand ran in eight tries en route to a 50-7 win over Brazil. Thalia Costa’s consolation score was her 99th international touchdown.

Costa brought up her century of touchdowns in her 29th tournament early in Brazil’s second outing of the day, against Japan. It wasn’t long before she ticked her overall tally to 101 as they raced into a 12-0 lead. But Brazil could not hold on, as Honoka Tsutsumi, Marin Kajiki, and Suzuha Okamoto crossed for a 19-12 win.

It was Japan’s second comeback win of the opening day, as they fought hard to beat much-changed defending Perth champions Ireland 14-7, after Robyn O’Connor had opened her international sevens try account.

Risi Pouri-Lane and Dhys Faleafaga bagged two apiece as the Black Ferns Sevens doubled down on their victory over Brazil with a convincing eight-try 46-0 win over Ireland to set up a Saturday Pool A decider against Japan, while Ireland and Brazil will both look to finish the group phase on a high.

POOL B: Canada and USA go two for two on day one

Asia Hogan-Rochester, Olivia Apps and Carmen Izyk all scored twice as Canada extended their winning run over Great Britain to six matches with an emphatic 38-5 victory in the opening match of Pool B. 

But the Olympic silver-medalists had to work hard to beat a determined Fiji, Apps scoring the crucial try after 12 minutes as they came from behind to win 14-12 and make it two from two on day one.

The rebuilding Fijiana had already made Paris bronze medalists USA work hard for their 21-19 win. Nia Tolliver’s second try of the match, and 15th on this year’s HSBC SVNS Series, decided the result late in the second half. 

Ariana Ramsey scored a hat-trick and Tolliver ran in another as USA rather more comfortably beat Great Britain 26-5 to join Canada on twin victories on the opening day in Perth and set up a Pool B decider against their neighbours to the north on Saturday.

Fiji, meanwhile, meet Great Britain in the opening match on Saturday. Those two losing bonus points could prove crucial in the final pool mix. 

POOL C: Four in two for Levi as Australia take charge

A brace for Charlotte Caslick, and tries for Maddison and Teagan Levi and Demi Hayes guided host nation Australia to a routine 31-7 opening match win over China.

The older Levi sister later scored a first-half hat-trick as Australia eased to a 43-0 win over Spain in the final match of the day at HBF Park. Faith Nathan, Isabella Nasser, Ruby Nicholas, and Mackenzie Davis also scored for the hosts.

France opened their account with a rather messy 31-5 win over Spain, courtesy of a double either side of half-time for Alycia Chrystiaens and tries for Hada Traoré, in her first outing since 2023, Lou Noel and Anne-Cecile Ciofani.

Valentine Lothoz scored shortly before halftime to give Les Bleues a slender lead over China, before they pulled away with two more tries in the second to win 21-0 and set-up a pool decider against Australia on Saturday.

Spain, meanwhile, will take on China.