Rugby: Comfortable wins

Hat-tricks to speedy Cantabrians Steven Yates and Nick Thompson highlighted a comfortable opening day for unbeaten New Zealand at the IRB sevens tournament in San Diego yesterday.

New Zealand were slow out of the blocks before beating Canada 31-19 but settled into a better rhythm for wins over Chile 43-5 and France 26-0 to top the pool.

Yates dashed over for three against the Canadians while Thompson snared his trio against the Chileans and ended the day with four.

New Zealand will meet England in a testing quarter-final today after the English were upset 19-14 by Australia in their final pool encounter.

Australia will face France, with the winners to reach their first semifinal of the series.

Wellington champions last weekend Samoa continued their fine form, going unbeaten through pool play unbeaten.