Aussie women go 2-0 at Vancouver Sevens on opening day

Reigning world series champions Australia have dominated their opening-day matches at the Vancouver Sevens tournament.

Captain Charlotte Caslick scored a try in her 250th world series match as the Aussies beat Japan 26-7 before going on to thrash Spain 48-0 and lead Pool B going into Saturday’s play.

New Zealand lead the overall women’s standings with 78 points. Australia, the only other country to have won a tournament – in Dubai – are tied second with the United States on 66 points.

New Zealand were also unbeaten on Friday, outscoring their opponents Colombia and Great Britain by a combined 103-7 to lead Pool A as they look to back-up titles in the last three tournaments in Cape Town, Hamilton and Sydney.

In men’s matches, Australia beat Chile 36-12 but lost to Canada 29-12 in the final match of the day.

Men’s series leaders New Zealand were 2-0 and will meet Samoa in a rematch of last weekend’s pool clash in Los Angeles which ended with a win for the Pacific Islanders.

Argentina, who lost to New Zealand in the Los Angeles men’s final, got their campaign off to a winning start in Pool B, while South Africa’s Ricardo Duarttee slotted an extra-time conversion for the Blitzboks to finish level with France at 19-19.

New Zealand lead the men’s series standings with 107 points, followed by Argentina and South Africa with 86 each. Fiji are fourth with 84 points through six tournaments.