GOLD COAST — New Zealand made a powerful start to the defense of its Gold Coast Sevens title, emerging unbeaten after pool play on the first day of a tournament which begins rugby’s qualifying process for the 2016 Olympic games. Playing in Pool A at the 16-team tournament, top-ranked New Zealand emphatically beat France 36-7, Japan 59-0 and Samoa 28-17 to set up a quarterfinal on Sunday with fourth-ranked England. South Africa topped Pool B, Fiji topped Pool C and Argentina finished atop Pool D after upsetting England 21-19 in the first match of the opening day. Argentina will now play Samoa, South Africa will play hosts Australia and Fiji will play Wales in Sunday’s other quarterfinal matchups. New Zealand’s only fright on opening day came from Samoa who led 17-14 early in the second half before the Kiwis reclaimed the lead with tries to Tim Mikkelson and Sherwin Stowers. New Zealand, which is the current world champion and has won the International Rugby Board World Series in 12 of the last 15 years, beat Samoa 40-0 in the quarterfinals of last year’s Gold Coast tournament. It improved its record against France yesterday to 46 wins from 48 matches and…