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Winning start for South Africa in rugby sevens

South Africa got the Commonwealth Games rubgy sevens programme off to a winning start today by thumping Pacific Islanders Tonga 23-0 in the opening game.

Updated on: Oct 11, 2010, 11:30:26 IST
AFP | By , New Delhi
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South Africa got the Commonwealth Games rubgy sevens programme off to a winning start on Monday by thumping Pacific Islanders Tonga 23-0 in the opening game.

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In a 16-team lineup, defending champions New Zealand were expecting a major challenge from Samoa, who have dominated them recently in the World Sevens Series, as well as South Africa and possibly England and Australia.

Sevens powerhouse Fiji were barred from the competition due to the country being expelled from the Commonwealth after a military coup in 2006.

The popular boxing tournament reaches the semi-final stages in the 10 weight divisions, while classification games were being held in netball.

In athletics there are six finals on the evening card with Kenya looking sure of more track gold in the men's steeplechase and 10,000m.

Australia's Sally Pearson looks set to win the women's 100m hurdles to make up for her heartbreak disqualification after coming home first in the 100m sprint final.

The other finals are in the women's discus and 800m and the men's pole vault, with Olympic champion Steve Hooker, the outstanding favourite.

The big men will be out in the weightlifting with the over 105kg division and there are two diving finals in the men's 3m springboard and women's platform.

Hosts India continued to impress in the medals table standing alone in second place with 29 golds and a total of 72, well behinf runaway leaders Australia but ahead of England, Canada and South Africa.

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