Imbokodo lose out against New Zealand at Cape Town Sevens

The Imbokodo, the national women’s Sevens team, crashed 40-0 to New Zealand in their opening match on Friday.

Trailing 21-0 at half time Imbokodo made little impression in the second half as New Zealand romped home.

The Kiwis were quicker on the draw and were generally more alert when opportunity presented itself. Though the South Africans pinned New Zealand in their half in the initial stages, the Kiwis eventually broke free through a grubber upfield and it was from that exit they got their backs off the wall.

They ran in three first-half tries and streaked further ahead in the second.

Earlier in the day Australia crushed England in the first World Sevens Series women’s match on South African soil. Ellia Green dotted down the first try of the tournament and she was to prove the most influential player on the pitch.

Green was back in the act a minute or so later when she ran onto an inside pass and stole the march on her chasing opponents.

Madison Ashby completed the 32-0 rout.

If Green made her mark in the opening match, then France’s Séraphine Okemba took matters by the scruff of the neck in France’s 36-12 win over Spain. The strapping and dreadlocked Okemba made telling incursions into Spanish territory and was rewarded with a hat-trick of tries for her efforts.

The Blitzboks are due to play their opening game of the men's tournament against Japan at 8.03pm on Friday.