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After limping to the starting line in large part due to COVID-19 complications, the opening day of the inaugural World Tens Series came off without a hitch. Bermuda’s National Sports Centre has proved an ideal venue with a high quality broadcast giving viewers across the globe a chance to take in the spectacle.
The rugby itself, perhaps to be expected, has been a mixed bag. Phoenix were forced to field a stand-in squad comprised almost entirely of locals on Day One and the amateurs were no match for their largely professional opposites. The team hopes to have a couple reinforcements on Day Two before the remainder of the squad is cleared to play in Round 2.
High profile entries from the Ohio Aviators and Asia Pacific Dragons will be disappointed with their start to the tournament. The Dragons looked sluggish until finding their feet in their third match, while the Aviators were inconsistent and ended the day with two defeats.
A surprise package was the Rhinos, who went undefeated to take the top spot. The Mike Te’o-captained side featured several unknown youngsters with lively forward Patrick Regan impressing among others. Vice-captain Carl Meyer proved the outstanding player on Day One, with his 3 tries and 31 points making him the top scorer by a wide margin.
Also showing well were the London Royals. Their mix of England Sevens stars and Major League Rugby talent saw them slip past the Aviators in the closest match of the day. World Sevens Series record-holder Dan Norton appropriately scored the first try of the tourney with captain Richard de Carpentier industrious in the forwards.
Day Two is on Monday. A full schedule of matches can be seen here.
ROUND 1 SESSION 1
MIAMI SUN 6
Tries – J. du Toit
Cons – M. Lalasava 1/1 (1)
LONDON ROYALS 23
Tries – D. Norton, T. Bowen, D. Busby, S. Coetzee
Cons – Z. Elan-Puttick 1/2 (2), J. Aguirre 1/1 (1), B. Foden 0/1
PHOENIX 0
OHIO AVIATORS 26
Tries – E. Howard, C. Rodriguez, J. Eloff, S. Riley
Cons – B. Cima 2/4 (6)
ASIA PACIFIC DRAGONS 5
Tries – L. Saunitoga
Cons – T. Bell 0/1
RHINOS 16
Tries – C. Meyer, O. Nott
Cons – C. Meyer 2/2 (6)
ROUND 1 SESSION 2
OHIO AVIATORS 0
RHINOS 12
Tries – C. Meyer, J. Hidalgo
Cons – C. Meyer 1/2 (2)
PHOENIX 0
MIAMI SUN 32
Tries – D. van der Merwe, M. Hughston, N. Tuamoheloa, N. Boyer, J. du Toit, M. O’Keeffe
Cons – J. Stokes 0/3, M. Lalasava 2/3 (2)
LONDON ROYALS 12
Tries – T. Emery, Z. Elan-Puttick
Cons – J. Aguirre 1/1 (1), Z. Elan-Puttick 1/1 (1)
ASIA PACIFIC DRAGONS 0
ROUND 1 SESSION 3
PHOENIX 10
Tries – G. Douyon
Cons – M. Turner 1/1 (5)
RHINOS 38
Tries – C. Cama, P. Regan 2, C. Meyer, C. Kindregan, J. Domínguez
Cons – C. Meyer 3/5 (8), C. Winnaar 0/1
OHIO AVIATORS 10
Tries – R. Hattingh
Cons – B. Cima 1/1 (5)
LONDON ROYALS 11
Tries – T. Mitchell, D. Busby
Cons – J. Aguirre 1/2 (1)
MIAMI SUN 0
ASIA PACIFIC DRAGONS 20
Tries – A. Naikatini, M. Naromaitoga, L. Saunitoga
Cons – T. Bell 1/2 (5), K. Morath 0/1
STANDINGS
| TEAM | GP | W | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | PTS |
| Rhinos | 3 | 3 | 0 | 66 | 15 | +51 | 1 | 10 |
| London Royals | 3 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 16 | +30 | 1 | 10 |
| Ohio Aviators | 3 | 1 | 2 | 36 | 23 | +13 | 2 | 5 |
| Asia Pacific Dragons | 3 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 28 | -3 | 1 | 4 |
| Miami Sun | 3 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 43 | -5 | 1 | 4 |
| Phoenix | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 96 | -86 | 0 | 0 |
| SX10 | 0* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*SX10 forfeited Round 1 due to a positive COVID-19 result will play in Round 2 pending clearance.
