It was a perfect day on the scoreboard for the Aussie men’s sevens at the Central Coast Sevens on Saturday.
Both the Australia Gold and Australia Green made it through the pool stages unscathed, and Sevens coach Andy Friend was pleased with his side’s opening effort.
“We talk about being clinical, we were very clinical today,” he said.
“We kept the game pretty simple, the boys played with real energy and positive talk which made it easier for the boys, we know what each other were doing, it’s a real positive for us.”
The top-line Aussie side found vengeance against FIjian side Tabadamu, who beat the Aussies in the final last season,, beating them in the second round.
They were without Tom Lucas for the opening day, who was ruled out with illness, though he is expected to return for day two.
Gold’s defeat put the Fijians on a collision course with Australia Green in the quarter-finals on Sunday, after the development side went through unscathed.
It was a day for injury returns, though, with Ed Jenkins making his comeback from a season-ending shoulder injury playing for Australia Gold, while Central Coast favourite Jesse Parahi played his first match since Cape Town last year.
Neither side will be resting on their opening day results, though, with Friend quick to remind them of the stakes.
“Day one’s good to win but day two where you win championships,” he said.
“ Now we can’t afford to lip up, we’re in the opening quarter-final and important we get the win there and build from that.”.
Australia Gold takes on NSW at 10:40am AEDT on Sunday, while Australia Green meets Tabadamu at 11am AEDT, live streamed at centralcoastsevens.com.au.
RESULTS
Gold
Australia Gold - ACT Brumbies 45-0
Australia Gold - Tabadamu 24-12
Australia Gold - Stars Rugby 7s 47-0
Green
Australia Green - Iconz 40-19
NSW Waratah 7s - Australian Green 5-41
Liverpool - Australia Green 5-33
FIXTURE
Central Coast Sevens quarter-finals
10:40am AEDT Australia Gold v NSW
1100am AEDT Australia Green v Tabadamu
