Australia among qualifiers as sevens debuts

Sevens was added to the Olympic schedule for the first time at the 2016 Games in Brazil and there were tries aplenty for those watching on at the Deodoro Stadium.

Australia's Emma Tonegato tackles for the ball.

Favourite Australia was among five women's teams to qualify for the quarter-finals on a historic first day of rugby sevens competition at the Olympic Games on Saturday.

Sevens was added to the Olympic schedule for the first time at the 2016 Games in Brazil and there were tries aplenty for those watching on at the Deodoro Stadium.

Charlotte Caslick scored a hat-trick as Australia, top of the World Rugby Sevens Series standings, hammered Colombia 53-0 in their Pool A opener and they dished out a 36-0 thrashing to Fiji to reach the last eight at a canter.

Well fancied New Zealand also sauntered into the quarter-finals, with Portia Woodman claiming three of eight tries in a Pool B thrashing of Kenya and another in a 31-5 hammering of Spain.

France won the first match of the competition 24-7 against Spain and went on to see off Kenya 40-7 to qualify for Sunday's quarter-finals.

Great Britain and Canada were the other two nations to seal their passage from Pool C.