Dubai: Favourites New Zealand and Australia powered through as expected on the first day of the Women’s World Series in Dubai on Thursday.
Dubai and series defending champions New Zealand opened with a thumping 40-0 win over South Africa, before going on to beat France 28-7 and the United States 45-14 to take control of Pool A. They will now take on second best third-placed side USA again in Friday morning’s quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Australia beat Japan 27-0, England 22-7 and Russia 31-12 to top Pool B, and will now face best third-placed side England in the quarters. New Zealand have won all but one of the total five Women’s World Series seasons, losing to Australia in 2015/16.
In Dubai they have also won three of the event’s total five women’s stagings, never defending however, having alternated victories every year with two-time winners Australia, who also beat the Black Ferns in last year’s Olympic final.
The two heavyweights — who have met three times in the final here including last year — now remain on course for a cup final clash in Round 1 of the 2017/18 five-stage World Series on Friday, where New Zealand will look to hold the Matildas at bay to successfully defend their Dubai title for the first time.
Canada also did well on Day 1, topping Pool C with opening wins over Spain 19-0, Ireland 31-0 and Fiji 31-14, and will now play second in Pool A France in the cup quarter-final.
Friday will also see the start of the men’s 10-stage World Series, with Dubai and Series holders South Africa kicking-off their twinned title defences against Uganda in Pool A from 10.52am.
“Dubai has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past,” said Springbok captain Philip Snyman, whose side has won five times in Dubai, two victories of which have come within the last three years.
“But this is a new season and everyone is starting with fresh minds and bodies. Even our squad, as experienced as we are, has come back together with new energy and vigour.
“We will see a lot of the teams more settled this season, with not as many new faces and coaches as was the case last year when we started the season here in Dubai.
“So it is definitely going to be tougher this time around. We need to be at our best from the start.
“We already left last season behind when we started our new pre-season camp. We needed to make that mind shift. The focus now goes to that first match against Uganda. We need to be ready for that match and take it from there.”
Others to look out for will be record 12-time Series and six-time Dubai champions New Zealand, who kick-off against Samoa, coached by former All Black sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens, from 9.22am. And Olympic champions Fiji, who have won here twice in the last four years, and have won the past two World Series titles before South Africa last season, kick-off against Russia from 10.06am.
This season has added incentive for all concerned in the men’s and women’s game, because of the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April and the World Cup in America in July.
Women’s results — Thursday
Fiji 12 Ireland 20
Canada 19 Spain 0
Russia 17 England 15
Australia 27 Japan 0
USA 17 France 19
New Zealand 40 South Africa
Fiji 5 Spain 19
Canada 31 Ireland 0
Russia 36 Japan 0
Australia 22 England 7
USA 19 South Africa 15
New Zealand 28 France 7
Ireland 7 Spain 17
Canada 31 Fiji 14
England 26 Japan 14
Australia 31 Russia 12
France 29 South Africa 5
New Zealand 45 USA 14
