The Qantas Australian Women's Sevens team has breezed through the pool stage in Dubai to line up a Cup Quarter-Final showdown with Fiji on Friday afternoon (AEDT).
After finishing as top seeds after Day One, Head Coach Tim Walsh said: "I thought we played some great footy for two of the three games. I have a really strong squad of 12 to choose from now. It was pleasing to see Vani Pelite play so well while I thought Emma Tonegato and Alicia Quirk were the best out there for us.
"Fiji will be a test, that's for sure. When they're on, they're on. And we'll be planning as if they are on so we will go away, recover, and prepare properly for this game. The standard of this tournament has gone up so much that we won't be taking anything for granted at all."
The season-opener saw the Women's Sevens side take on a South Africa side looking to impress on their return to the World Rugby Sevens World Series.
However, they were outplayed and overpowered throughout as Australia eased to the win (36-0). Alicia Quirk scored the first of six Aussie tries when she crossed over following a beautiful pass from Charlotte Caslick. Caslick herself scored the second, before debutant Chloe Dalton crossed over for her first
Sevens World Series try. With her first touch after coming on as a replacement, Ellia Green burned the South African defence early in the second period to increase her side's advantage. Amy Turner and Tiana Penitani both scored late tries to seal an impressive victory.
Despite a fast start, an impressive French side were unable to keep pace with Australia come full-time. Despite going behind early on, some tough work from Shannon Parry set Emma Tonegato away before Caslick put daylight between her side and Les Bleus. Alicia Quirk and Ellia Green then both showcased their pace on the left wing to ultimately seal the win (24-10).
The Aussies saved their best performance until last, mixing brutal defence with clinical attack to see off the challenge of a beleagured Spanish side (39-0). Shannon Parry opened the scoring within two minutes and Ellia Green added a second. Evania Pelite then waltzed through the European defence to open her account for the new season. Two more tries from the deadly Ellia Green sealed her hat-trick before Emma Tonegato finished the scoring, rounding her beaten opponent on the right wing to touch down.
Walsh confirmed that Chloe Dalton will miss the remainder of the tournament with a fractured arm, but is confident the basketball-convert will be available for selection come the Sao Paulo leg of the Sevens World Series in February.
Elsewhere tomorrow in the Cup Quarter-Finals, New Zealand will play Russia, England go up against France while the USA take on North American rivals Canada in the glamour tie of the round.
All of Day Two of the Women's Sevens in Dubai will be streamed via www.worldrugby.org. FOX SPORTS 2 will broadcast the tournament from the Cup Semi-Final stage.
Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens results in Dubai, UAE, 4-5 December:
Australia 36-0 South Africa, Pool B
Australia 24-10 France, Pool B
Australia 39-0 Spain, Pool B
Australian Women’s Sevens fixture in Dubai, UAE, 5 December:
Australia v Fiji, Cup Quarter-Final, 5pm (AEDT)
