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Australia's men's side has lost the opening match of the Cape Town leg of the Rugby Seven World Series to Ireland but the women thumped England 32-0.

Australia's men's side have lost the opening match of the Cape Town leg of the Rugby Seven World Series but the women got off to a flying start.

John Manenti's side thumped England 32-0 with Ellia Green and Madison Ashby running four of the team's six tries in an outstanding performance by the Olympic champions.

But the men went down to a shock 26-21 defeat to Ireland in a thrilling encounter that saw Tom Pincus score two tries and Harry Hutchison add a third.

However, a last-minute breakaway try by Terry Kennedy sealed a dramatic win for a side that had put been beaten by 45 points by Australia last week in Dubai.

The women will face Ireland on Saturday in their second match with the men taking on Kenya.

Elsewhere in the men's event, England and Samoa, semi-finalists last week in Dubai, lost their opening matches .

England fell to Scotland 26-24 with Samoa defeated by Kenya 24-19.

South Africa, the winner of the first leg of the series in Dubai last weekend, blew away Japan 49-0.

Fiji, even down to five men, was too good for the United States 28-14, and New Zealand romped past Wales 43-7.