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Nick Jordan in Singapore

All of the pre-tournament favourites safely negotiated Day One at the 63rd Singapore Cricket Club Rugby 7s at the Padang.

Under heavy skies the first-ever Friday night at the "Friendly Sevens" gave the 24 teams the chance to stretch their legs.

A thunderstorm early in the day ensured the ground was slippery throughout the women's and schools and colleges sections. Japan and Singapore both went unbeaten in the former, Hong Kong and Malaysia recorded a win and a loss while India and Indonesia went winless. The six teams will play off tomorrow with the Final on Sunday.

But the freshly-laid turf at the historic Club, which was founded in 1852, held together for the main event featuring 13 different nations.

Well-known UK club the Penguins, albeit fielding a squad entirely from New Zealand, opened proceedings in Pool A with a 31-0 win over Perth club Cottesloe. Paula Kinikinilau scored two of the five tries.

Ponsonby also ran in five tries against Casuarina Cougars in Pool B, winning 31-0. Coach Jack Huch was pleased with the first-up effort.

"In the end we came out comfortable in the difficult conditions which made it hard to get into our pattern. We kept it a little tighter before creating space out wide which worked for us."

Ponsonby, from Auckland in New Zealand and three time winners of the Ablitt Cup, has not been in the final at Singapore since 2007, something which Huch said the squad is using as motivation.

"We come here with winning as our goal and definitely want to go all the way."

First-time visitors Horowhenua-Kapiti, also Kiwis (from north of Wellington), beat the host club 15-0 to get Pool C underway.

Japan Samurai, preparing for the Asian Games later this month, found the going tough against the Mosquitoes from Australia's Northern Territory, holding on to win 17-12 in Pool D.

In Pool E Davetalevu struggled in the greasy conditions against Palmyra from Western Australia. The Fijians' handling errors, coupled with the dogged defence from the Australians who have been attending the tournament since the mid-1980s, meant they only won 19-0.

Playing in maroon, the South African Vipers started their defence of the Ablitt Cup with a 47-14 win over Sri Lanka, another team bound for the Asian Games, in Pool F.

Coach Paul Treu wasn't too upset at condeding two tries.

"It was a good effort to get the new players onto the field," said Treu. "Our sweeper has never played Sevens before so it is good to learn this way and we can build from this match. A few years ago we won the final 10-5 and that's what we want - tough games where we concede tries - because otherwise we don't know what we're doing wrong."

Captain Kyle Brown and Frankie Horne, who both missed the Commonwealth Games with injury, made solid starts on their return.

"It's comforting to know that some of the experienced players are back and we've given some of the others a break after Delhi.

"We're not going to get this type of practice at home so it's an important tournament for us. The most important thing out of this tournament is for the young players to learn."

These six winners are likely to be in the running for the main trophy come Sunday, where they may be joined by one or more sides playing under a Malaysian flag, namely the Borneo Eagles, NS Wanderers or COBRA, or the shadow national Hong Kong side.

The Eagles thrashed Almaty RFC from Kazakhstan 47-0 and the Wanderers overcame the Singapore Barbarians, winning 31-0, which was the same scoreline when the COBRA put away the Southern Lions.

First-timers Sunnybank, once the home of IRB record-holder Ben Gollings in Queensland, were too strong for Tamariva from Japan, taking out their debut match 29-5.

Hong Kong Dragons, the third team on their way to Guangzhou for the Asian Games, looked efficient in the opening spell against the Flying Kukris, leading 17-0 and they eventually triumphed 38-0.

Coach Dai Rees admitted the performance was a little "rusty".

"We turned the ball over a little bit too much but it is a little bit greasy and the ball is difficult to handle," he said.

"We've set our sights on a quarter-final of the Cup so we have to work hard tomorrow against two decent sides. And it's also about getting guys ready for the Asian Games. Rowan Varty and Mark Wright haven't played Sevens since the Hong Kong event in Marchand Jeff Wong is back after an ACL reconstruction so it's about getting game time."

Kenya's Impala finished Day One running in four tries to beat East Arnhem Gove from Australia 26-7.

Peter Hutton, Chairman, SCC Rugby 7s Organising Committee, said: "Tonight has been a fantastic night for Singapore rugby. It signals the beginning of a new chapter in the SCC 7s, with games being played late into the evening on a Friday night, and the atmosphere in the stadium has been fantastic.

"We saw some great action tonight, but the big teams are only warming up and we are looking forward to two more days of spectacular rugby."

Pool play concludes tomorrow with the 24 men's teams playing a further two matches each, preceeded by the mini rugby and women's, schools and colleges play-offs. An early storm is forecast to be followed by sunshine and 33 degrees.

Nick Jordan is in SIngapore with thanks to the Singapore Cricket Club, Tourism Fiji and Air Pacific.