Aden Ekanayake scored a first-half hat-trick as Australia 7s routed Uruguay 7s 43–12 in Pool B at HSBC SVNS Bordeaux 2026 on 5 June 2026.
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Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Australia dominated the opening exchanges with ruthless efficiency. Ekanayake opened the scoring within the first three minutes, finishing off a sweeping move after Maurice Longbottom had carved through the Uruguayan defence. Captain Henry Hutchison doubled the lead a minute later, powering over from close range after a lineout win.
Ekanayake struck again in the fifth minute, collecting a loose restart and racing 40 metres untouched. Hutchison crossed for his second shortly after, the skipper showing strength to stretch over in the corner. Jayden Blake added a fifth try in the ninth minute before Archie Saunders capped the first-half blitz with a score in the 11th minute.
Uruguay found a foothold before the break through Bruno Primavesi, who powered over from a driving maul to get Los Teros 7s on the board at 31–5.
Australia picked up where they left off after half-time. Ekanayake completed his hat-trick inside the first two minutes of the second period, regathering a clever kick from Longbottom to touch down. Ben Dowling and Maurice Longbottom shared the conversion duties, landing four of seven attempts between them.
Uruguay's Ignacio Suarez scored a consolation try with three minutes remaining, converted by Ignacio Alvarez, but the result was long since decided.
The Turning Point
The match was effectively over inside the first six minutes. Ekanayake's opening try in the third minute — Australia's first meaningful attack — was followed by Hutchison's immediate double and Ekanayake's second, making it 24–0 before Uruguay had touched the ball in Australia's half. The kicking game, specifically Australia's dominance on restarts, gave them a territorial stranglehold that Uruguay could not break.
Key Performers
Aden Ekanayake — The 21-year-old's hat-trick (tries in the 3rd, 5th and 8th minutes) set the tone. He also won two crucial restart kicks, a key tactical weapon in the sevens game.
Henry Hutchison — The captain led from the front with a first-half double, both finishes showing the power and footwork that have made him Australia's most-capped forward.
Maurice Longbottom — The experienced playmaker created two of Ekanayake's tries with intelligent kicking and converted three of four conversion attempts, keeping the scoreboard moving.
Player of the match: Aden Ekanayake.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
The on-page stat board shows Australia's dominance: 7 tries to 2, 366 metres gained to Uruguay's 133, and 9 defenders beaten to 3. The 59% possession share reflects a team that controlled the game from the first whistle — but the headline number is Australia's restart success. Ekanayake's ability to regather his own kicks gave Australia repeat possession in dangerous areas, a factor the raw stats underplay but the try-scoring timeline (five tries in 11 first-half minutes) makes plain.
What It Means
The win gave Australia four points in Pool B, level with USA after the Americans beat Spain 24–19 earlier on Day One. Australia's second pool match, against the USA, ended in a dramatic 19–17 defeat (golden-point try after the siren), leaving the Aussies needing to beat Spain 12–10 in their final pool match to secure a quarter-final berth. They finished second in the pool and eventually placed seventh overall in Bordeaux after a 29–0 win over Great Britain in the seventh-place play-off on Sunday 7 June.
Uruguay lost all three pool matches (43–12 v Australia, 42–17 v Spain, 24–19 v USA) and did not advance to the Cup quarter-finals.
Verdict
Australia's performance against Uruguay was near-flawless in execution — seven different try-scoring contributions, a hat-trick from their most dynamic young talent, and complete control of the restart game. Uruguay, to their credit, kept competing but lacked the firepower to stay with a top-tier side. The warning signs for Australia lay ahead: the USA and Spain would ask far sterner questions.
Rivalry since 2018
Australia 7s vs Uruguay 7s Head to Head Results· 5
Australia 7s and Uruguay 7s have met 5 times — Australia 7s won 4, Uruguay 7s won 1, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. Australia 7s leads the head-to-head with 4 victories from 5 meetings. A combined 218 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 43.60 per match (149 for the home side, 69 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 4 matches (80%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 5 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 50–17 in 2018.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 26 Jun 2026