Cooper scores maiden try in big Aussie win

Sun, Mar 6, 2016, 12:00 AM
AFP
by AFP
Quade scored his first Sevens try in Vegas. Photo: Getty Images
Quade scored his first Sevens try in Vegas. Photo: Getty Images

Wallabies star Quade Cooper scored his first sevens try for Australia in a 36-7 victory over England that sent the Aussies surging into the Cup quarter-finals of the Las Vegas Sevens.

Cooper is among the 15-a-side stars chasing berths in their country's Rio Olympic squads as rugby's return to the Games puts the spotlight on the 10-event World Rugby Sevens Series.

He was one of five try-scorers against England as Australia finished pool play with three wins from three matches to set up a Cup quarter-final clash with Argentina.

All of the winners of the four previous tournaments this season made it safely into Saturday night's last eight.

New Zealand, who roared into Vegas on the backs of victories at Wellington and Sydney, dropped their final pool match 22-0 to Kenya to finish second in Pool A and line up a tough meeting with South Africa -- who lifted the title in Cape Town this season.

Kenya will take on hosts the United States, while Japan will play Fiji in their first Cup quarter-final in almost a year after a 26-19 win over Scotland.

Fiji -- winners of the season-opening tournament in Dubai -- are defending series champions and won last year in Las Vegas. They rounded off their pool play with a 15-12 win over Argentina.

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