ENGLAND Sevens coach Mike Friday has praised former Bournemouth player Ben Gollings for breaking the IRB World Rugby Sevens points scoring record.

The ex-Dorset and Wiltshire three-quarter was in impressive individual form for England as they swept into the quarter-finals of the tournament in Wellington, New Zealand.

Gollings scored 11 points in each pool game as England defeated Canada 31-5, Niue 41-7 and Samoa 21-10 on Friday.

His try against Samoa was his 100th in the IRB Series and he finished the day with 1,054 points - ahead of old record holder, the Fijian Waisale Serevi, who had 1,021.

Friday said: "I am really proud of Ben.

"It's fantastic for him. He has deserved it as he has worked hard to get back in the squad and has been playing well."

Gollings, however, only added two conversions as England lost 24-19 to Fiji in the last eight in front of a 30,000 crowd.

But added to the sole conversion he slotted over in England's plate semi-final reverse, Gollings ended the tournament in New Zealand with a new world record IRB Sevens highest points scoring record of 1,060.

Gollings is included in the England squad that travelled to Los Angeles yesterday ahead of the next tournament in the United States on February 11 and 12.