New Zealand was one of three teams to go unbeaten on the first day of the opening World Womens Sevens Series event in Dubai.
Michael Blyde on the burst during World Rugby's Sevens series Photo: Photosport
Series champions New Zealand achieved a perfect three-from-three record to set up a Cup quarter-final meeting with USA.
Unbeaten Australia will play England in the last eight and Canada will play France in their quarter-final.
As reigning Dubai champions, the Black Fern Sevens will be looking to improve on their almost faultless series in 2016-17 where they lost just one of 30 matches.
New Zealand speedster and recently crowned World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year Michaela Blyde is eager that the team continues as they started.
"Morale is pretty high, it's the first world series tournament and one of our favourites so we are on a really good high and can't wait to play on day two," she said. "No matter what team you play or how many tries you score or how often you win sevens is always a really tough game but it's all about tomorrow."
As the first of five tournaments on the 2018 series, Dubai holds added significance for the teams as they move toward Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco next July. Points from the first two tournaments on the series will be added to their totals in 2016-17 to determine seedings at the prestigious event.
The Black Ferns Sevens were in unstoppable form on day one, putting a 40-0 win on the board against invitational side South Africa, with six different try scorers contributing. A Portia Woodman double against France put the game out of reach as New Zealand closed out the match 28-7. Woodman also scored twice in their final pool match of the day against USA as New Zealand notched up seven tries in total to win 45-14.
The men's competition starts tonight with New Zealand playing Samoa, Argentina and USA in pool play.
