Thrashing easybeats Japan 48-0 is not a reason to do backflips over the chances of Australia’s women’s rugby sevens team at the Tokyo Olympics. How they did it is.
The eight-try masterclass was as crisp, error-free and cobweb-clearing as you get in sevens for a first match at a major tournament.
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It was exactly the performance that coach John Manenti wanted before slightly stiffer opposition from China on Thursday night (6.30pm AEST) and a tough challenge from the Americans on Friday morning (11.30am).
What you had to like was the mix of strengths shining through and the fact that there was only one error, maybe two, in 14 minutes.
It wasn’t the golden girls of Rio 2016 who had to carry the show in scorching 31-degree heat.
Sydney’s Madison Ashby is an exceptional asset at just 20. Two thumping tackles on poor Japanese attackers is just the fierceness the Aussies need to sting Canada and New Zealand when medals are on the line.
Ashby had dreams of making the Rio team in 2016 but, at just 15, she was deemed too young by the age laws. She has been gunning for this moment for years and you could tell.
Teenager Maddison Levi came on for less than four minutes but what a mark.
She’s some athlete as those in AFLW land already know because the 19-year-old was playing for the Gold Coast Suns just a few months ago.
Sevens is her first love and her long-striding speed was quickly activated by a playmaker, Charlotte Caslick, smart enough to find her with a long ball.
A fend and a 50m sprint later and Levi was scoring the first of two tries in her Olympics debut.
Shortly after, she went in hard on the ball at a breakdown and earned a penalty. Another tick.
Tia Hinds, another 19-year-old, nailed a good first kick-off.
"We'd done a lot of work in the heat back home but the heat was still a shock. It was my first major tournament so there were going to be some nerves. It was good to get the win," Hinds said after the match.
Manenti was upbeat but looking no further than the China game: "I was definitely concerned about this game with the emotion the Japanese would bring at home.
"I was really pleased with our clinical first half (24-0) because that set us up and let us bring on some girls for debuts in a less pressured situation."
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There was excellent balance to the way the Aussies played.
The excellent ball movement put the blokes to shame it has to be said. Caslick threw a long left-to-right pass early and an equally pinpoint right-to-left pass later in the game.
Her little in-and-away for the opening try was all class as well.
The buzzing intensity at the breakdown was led by Vani Pelite, another Rio golden girl. The Aussies sustained it too, not to beat Japan by more but to set the standard for when they play the tough teams.
Emma Tonegato finished expertly for three tries.
All in all, a top start. The only question mark is kicking and that's polish at re-starts and improving on 50 per cent goalkicking (four-from-eight).
