The Qantas Australian Women's Sevens team has produced some of its finest football of the 2014/15 Sevens World Series after going three from three on Day One at the inaugural Canada Sevens in Langford.
Tim Walsh's side comfortably saw off the challenge of Brazil (43-0) and China (40-0) before proving too good for a fast-improving France (24-5) in the pool-decider. The deadly Ellia Green was at her imperious best as she scored seven tries on the day to dazzle the sell-out crowd at the compact Westhills Stadium.
Australia qualified from the pool stage as top seeds and will play Russia in the Cup Quarter-Final.
Qantas Australian Women's Sevens Head Coach Tim Walsh: "I'm very pleased with how we played today. Looking at the for and against points totals can give you an idea of how we went - we scored a fair few tries and we only conceded one. In the first two games, we executed well while in the final game we knew France would be physical and we stood up to them, stuck to the game plan, and got the result we were looking for.
"However, tomorrow is another day and in my opinion the Quarter-Final is the most important game of the weekend these days. A win and you make one of those all-important top four slots. Russia are a side full of athletes with plenty of power in their ranks. The big threats are going to come from Kazakova and Khamidova so if we don't show with the right attitude, win the breakdown, then we'll be no chance."
On Ellia Green's stand-out, seven-try day, Walsh added: "She is a phenomenal athlete and a fantastic person. Ellia has applied herself incredibly well over the past three or four months and the way she performed today was reflective of how much she has come on over that time."
An Ellia Green hat-trick and a classic team try finished off by Alicia Quirk were the highlights of a routine victory over the only side to have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics to date - Brazil. Wearing the blue alternate jersey, Australian skipper Sharni Williams opened the scoring before Amy Turner dotted down to extend the advantage. Quirk then rounded off a 70-metre move to add to the Brazilian woes. The second half was all about Ellia Green who racked up three scores with Alicia Quirk crossing over for her second try of the game to seal a comfortable win.
Australia continued where they left off against Brazil by breaking the 40-point barrier for the second game in a row against China. Nicole Beck scored the first try of her World Series career while Ellia Green bagged a double to notch her fourth and fifth tries of the weekend. Sharni Williams added another before the break before Emma Tonegato finished off a stunning coast-to-coast move started by Amy Turner midway through the second period. Shannon Parry capped a clinical performance by crashing over just before the full-time siren sounded.
France started strongly in the showdown for top spot in Pool B and were rewarded for their early efforts when Pauline Biscarat crossed over. However, the green and gold soon quelled French physicality with Ellia Green the beneficiary of a delightful ball from Emma Tonegato. Tonegato scored the 23rd try of her World Series career early in the second period and from then it was all Australia. Green crossed over on the left to extend the lead before the same player forced a turnover that allowed Sharni Williams to dot down and put the gloss on an outstanding performance.
Elsewhere in tomorrow's other Cup Quarter-Finals, series leaders New Zealand play Fiji, hosts Canada take on England while the USA face off against France.
Fans can catch all of the action from Finals Day at the Canada Sevens via http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/ from 3am AEST on Monday 20 April. FOX SPORTS 4 will broadcast Finals Day LIVE from Langford from 8.30am AEST on Monday 20 April.
Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens results in Langford, Canada, 19 April:
Australia 43-0 Brazil, Pool B
Australia 40-0 China, Pool B
Australia 24-5 France, Pool B
