NZ sevens team secures comfortable win over Namibia

NZ's Cory Jane on his way to score one of three tries against Wales. Picture / Brett Phibbs

New Zealand made a winning start to their Commonwealth Games sevens rugby title defence in Melbourne today by beating Wales and Namibia comfortably.

Under the closed roof at Telstra Dome, the New Zealanders opened with a 35-10 defeat of the Welsh and followed up with a more fluent 41-7 win over Namibia in which Sosene Anesi scored two of the seven tries.

The two victories guarantee them a place in tomorrow's quarterfinals regardless of the result of tonight's final pool game against Kenya.

The highlight of the opening session was Australia's 73-0 thumping of Sri Lanka while big guns Fiji and England recorded easy wins.

South Africa lost 19-26 to Tonga in the only major surprise.

- NZPA