Captain Phil Burgess insists there is plenty to play for after England booked their place in the Cup quarter-finals as this season’s HSBC Sevens World Series got underway in Gold Coast.
A 21-19 opening defeat to Argentina was put to one side as England beat USA 14-7 and Canada 19-12 to secure a place in the Cup quarter-finals as Pool D runners-up behind Los Pumas.
This season’s World Series is all important for all nations involved with it marking the beginning of the qualifying process for the Rio 2016 Olympics and England’s performances crucial.
England have been nominated by the British Unions as the lead nation to attempt to qualify, on behalf of Team GB, for both the men’s and women’s rugby sevens competitions at Rio 2016.
A fourth-place finish overall come the end of the season will be enough and Burgess is adamant England can lay down a marker for the rest of the campaign in Australia.
"The whole day is up for grabs," said Burgess. "We defended well in the last two games and showed some good heart.
“There are some tired bodies now and we will be glad of the rest. We will come back fresh and ready.”
England have a formidable task in New Zealand in the Cup quarter-finals but are joined at that stage by Wales who also finished as runners-up in Pool B.
Wales have been drawn against Fiji in the next round while Scotland are in the Bowl quarter-finals after two losses and a draw to finish third Pool C.
© Sportsbeat 2014