Sevens team through to quarterfinals in Dubai

7.30am

DUBAI - New Zealand will play France in tonight's quarterfinals at the Dubai Sevens after going though today's pool play unbeaten.

After a scratchy 31-0 win over African minnows Uganda, New Zealand accounted for the hosts, Arabian Gulf, 46-7 and then ensured top spot in their pool with a 28-14 win over Argentina in the final match of day one.

There was a notable lack of fluency from the New Zealand side in the first two pool games and in the first half against the Pumas.

New Zealand opened the scoring with a gem of a try from skipper Karl Te Nana, but Argentina hit back with two tries before the break to stun the four times defending champions into action.

Trailing 14-7 at half-time, the New Zealand side finally delivered with a commanding second-half performance to run in three unanswered tries through Te Nana, Craig de Goldi and Anthony Tuitavake.

Te Nana's two tries brought him to 105 in international sevens rugby and he is now two tries away from being the all-time sevens leading try scorer, chasing Australian Peter Miller's record of 107.

Coach Gordon Tietjens admitted the side would have to play much better in the knockout stages if they were to have any chance of retaining the title they have won for the past four years.

"Argentina certainly lifted against us and we certainly put pressure on ourselves. But to come back the way we did was great and we are starting to get our fluency and conditioning ourselves to sevens rugby now," Tietjens said.

Despite a lacklustre start to the tournament with New Zealand lacking the pace of sides like South Africa and England, Tietjens felt the team was starting to find its rhythm.

"We started to play to our pattern (in the second half against Argentina), moving the ball well. We have some pace in the side but it's all about composure and patience. We lost our patience a little bit during the day but it is starting to come and looks promising."

Tietjens rejected suggestions his side was off the pace compared to the likes of England, Samoa and South Africa.

"We have got lots of work to do but you must remember England are the favourites and I am sure that we will pick up our tempo when it comes quarterfinal time against France. It's another big one for us and I am sure the guys will get better with every game they play."

The reality is New Zealand will be too strong for a French side out of their depth against England. They will probably face Samoa in the semi-finals, in a repeat of last year's final won 33-0 by Tietjens' side.

New Zealand will play France in the last of the quarterfinal matches. The young French side easily overcame Sri Lanka and Morocco before succumbing to a powerful England side 40-0 in their final pool match.

The first quarterfinal has England up against Argentina, followed by South Africa against Fiji and Samoa against Australia.

England justified their top seeding for the tournament by going through pool play without conceding a try. They opened with a 45-0 win over Morocco and then swept aside Sri Lanka 75-0. Australia, on the other hand, were lucky to escape with a narrow 12-10 win over Zambia and a 22-17 victory over Kenya before being thumped by the impressive South Africans 34-7.

Samoa caused the only minor upset on day one, beating Fiji 12-5 in a bruising encounter.

The Kiwis play France at 7.55pm today (NZ time).

- NZPA