Australian Rugby Sevens teams impress on Day One of Australian Youth Olympic Festival

Australia’s Rugby Sevens teams have impressed on Day 1 of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival held in hot conditions at St. Ignatius College Riverview on Friday.

The Australian women topped their pool with an undefeated record of four wins, amassing 164 points and conceding 17.

Meanwhile the Australian men finished second in their pool, with three wins and one loss to pool leaders South Africa.

Topping the pool means the Australian women will get a bye straight through to the semifinal being played at 3:20pm Saturday. They were followed in final Day 1 rankings by China, Japan, South Africa and Tonga.

The Aussie men will face China in the quarter-final match at 2:14pm Saturday.

Australia’s women cruised through their first encounter of the tournament, tallying a 52-7 win over traditional rivals South Africa.

The women ran in eight tries to one, with Eva Karpani, Emma Tonegato, Charlotte Caslick, Danielle Smith, Brooke Walker, Georgie Friedrichs and Tiana Penitani (2) scoring.

Brooke Anderson added three conversions, while Walker added a further three.

They went on to defeat Japan 19-5, with tries to Caslick (2) and Walker, who also added two conversions.

Their second last game of the day saw Australia defeat China 38-5, with tries to Natahlia Moors, Tonegato, Caslick, Smith (2) and Penitani. Anderson added three conversions with Walker adding another.

The Aussies strolled through their final outing of the day, defeating Tonga 55-0 in an impressive attacking display.

Their tries were scored by Karpani, Tonegato (2), Evania Pelite, Caslick, Smith and Penitani (3).

The Australian men opened the tournament with a 21-12 win over Tonga, with Bill Valetini, captain Jack Tuttle and Harry Jones all crossing over for tries. Guy Hamilton impressed with the boot, kicking three from three.

Their second match saw them defeat Japan 53-0, with tries to Jack McCalman, Tepai Meoroa, Tuttle, Patolo Toeta (3), Hamilton (2) and Arthur Currie. Hamilton added a further two conversions, with Toeta and Currie each adding one.

Australia then went on to defeat China 75-0, with 11 tries to nil. Australia’s tries were scored by McCalman, Meoroa, Valetini, Brad Wilkin, Toeta, Jones, Lolo Faka’osilea, Adrian Delore (3) and Erickson Aukafolau.

Australia trailed 5-0 early in their final match of the day against South Africa, but a converted try to Hamilton gave his side the lead 7-7. South Africa took control for the remainder of the match, claiming a 30-12 win to top their pool. Wilkin scored Australia’s second try at the end of the second half.

Rugby Sevens is one of 17 sports at the 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival taking place in Sydney from 16-20 January.

The Australian Youth Olympic Festival takes place every four years and features 17 sports, with Rugby Sevens enjoying its first year of competition this year.

The Rugby Sevens tournament features eight nations on both the men’s and the women’s side of the competition with a total 192 athletes travelling to Sydney for the event.

Australian Youth Olympic Festival men’s Sevens squad

Australian Youth Olympic Festival women’s Sevens squad