Jayne Russell/Photosport
Stacey Waaka makes an effort in the Black Ferns Sevens’ big win over Great Britain.
The Black Ferns Sevens have stormed through the pool game in Hong Kong not only undefeated, but without even conceding a point.
At the same time, the World Series ladder leaders made a whopping 23 attempts, for 139 points, in their three games, barely breaking a sweat to take first place in Pool A on Saturday (NZ time), despite being captain Sarah Hirini was sidelined .
Chasing their fifth consecutive tournament title, following their triumphs in Cape Town, Hamilton, Sydney and Vancouver, New Zealand got off to a stormy start on Friday night (NZT) in a 50-0 thrashing of hosts Hong Kong.
That was somewhat soured by Hirini being charged for a collision and handed a three match suspension.
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The captain was hardly missed, however, as the Kiwis followed up with a 43-0 hammer on Great Britain and started day two with a thrashing of Canada 46-0.
After struggling past the Canadians 10-5 in their last meeting, last month in the quarter-finals in Vancouver, it was all one-way this time around, after Shiray Kaka opened the scoring a minute after a foul in Canada.
Jorja Miller came close, but soon after cleared Michaela Blyde in the left corner, before Kelly Brazier finished in the opposite corner, while Kaka had her double after the halftime siren thanks to some great dancing feet.
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Leading 22-0 at half time there was no delay in the second stanza, with Porta Woodman-Wickliffe showing all her quality on the right, tries either side from Alena Saili and Stacey Waaka also down.
Ironically, the Black Ferns Sevens will face Canada again in the quarterfinals (Sunday 2:03am NZT), after Tyla Nathan-Wong’s missed conversion at the end left Canada ahead of Japan as the second-best third-seeded team .
In the other last eight matchups, Australia will face Ireland, France will take on Great Britain and Fiji will take on the United States.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks Sevens have also made a good start in the men’s league in Hong Kong, going two against two in pool play.
After starting with a 29-5 win over Kenya on Friday night (NZT), the leading Kiwis started day two with a 12-7 win over South Africa.
Thanks to a great back-flick offload from Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Leroy Carter opened the scoring with a long-range effort, before the Blitzboks came back through Mfundo Ndhlovu to equalize at the break.
But thanks to a slick ball move to the left side of the park, Cody Vai’s 10th-minute effort proved decisive, with New Zealand closing the game.
The final pool match of the All Blacks Sevens is against Ireland at 8.49pm (NZT), with the quarter-finals on Sunday afternoon (NZT).