ALEX Matthews' Team GB Women's Sevens team endured a dramatic opening day of play at the Tokyo Olympic Games this morning.

The Worcester flanker played in both fixtures against the Russian Olympic Committee and New Zealand to kick start Pool A.

It took a last minute conversion from Team GB's Holly Aitchison to secure a narrow 14-12 win over the Russians in the first game before the women slipped to a dramatic 26-21 defeat to New Zealand.

Having won their opener, Team GB went into the clash with the Black Fearns full of confidence and they made a flying start, scoring three tries in as many minutes during a blistering opening.

Jasmine Joyce, Helena Rowland and Megan Jones all crossed, with Holly Aitchison converting them all for a 21-0 lead.

But Rio silver medallists New Zealand hit back spectacularly as Michaela Blyde touched down twice before the break, while Tyla Nathan-Wong's try further reduced the deficit.

With the clock ticking down, Joyce received a yellow card, and Blyde completed her hat-trick to seal victory, with Nathan-Wong also kicking three conversions.

"New Zealand are the best team in the world, and we absolutely rattled them in the first and second half," Joyce said.

"We just slipped off a bit in the second half, but medals aren't won on day one. We have got days two and three to put our wrongs right.

"To be leading 21-0 is just a credit to us. To do that to the world champions, who have been together for five, six-plus years, we can only take positives."

Britain face Kenya in their final pool game on Friday, and a victory should be enough to secure a quarter-final place.

Coach Scott Forrest added: "The big lesson is in terms of (delivering) a 14-minute performance. For us to achieve something in this competition, we need to be critical of ourselves first.

"We know we can be better, and if we improve game on game, we are going to be in a good place."