Text, Picture and Video: World Rugby
England were the surprise package on day one of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens on Thursday, beating defending series and Dubai champions Australia and Glendale runners-up USA to finish top of a pool for the first time since the final round of the 2015-16 series.
Their reward is a rematch with Australia in the Cup quarter-finals after the Olympic champions lost 22-17 to USA in their final Pool B thanks to a last-gasp try by Cheta Emba.
New Zealand, the winners of the opening round in Glendale last month, and Canada were the other sides to go unbeaten on day one at The Sevens Stadium to top Pool A and C respectively.
The Black Ferns Sevens will face Russia in the first quarter-final at 09:00 local time (GMT+4) on Friday after they secured the remaining place with a hard-fought 19-0 win over invitational side Kenya in their final Pool C match. New Zealand won their day one encounter 29-12.
Canada, like their North American rivals, also needed a last-gasp try to win their last pool match, Charity Williams bursting through the defence with 30 seconds to go to break the deadlock and secure a 21-14 win against France, the side they faced in the bronze final in round one.
RE:LIVE: Incredible last minute try from @USARugby's Cheta Emba, as they beat Australia in the pool stages of the #Dubai7s pic.twitter.com/wU9rzCUUIs
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) November 29, 2018
In the Challenge Trophy, Fiji will face China in the first semi-final before Kenya tackle Spain in the other.
