Australia's rugby sevens teams have begun preparations in Rio de Janeiro on the eve of the Olympics with both the women and men targeting a gold medal.

SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Walsh, Australia women's rugby sevens head coach:(On being favourites)

"We've prepared the best way that we know how. We are going in confident. Obviously we won the world series and very proud of that fact. Our Olympic preparation didn't change. We wanted to perform at the World Series and we always had at the back of our mind the Olympics and that didn't change leading into it. It was very nice to come away as world champions and very rewarding coming into the Olympics as number one."

SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Walsh, Australia women's rugby sevens head coach:(On what winning an Olympic gold would mean)

"The catalyst to the women's world series to our team going professional, to getting these fantastic athletes to play rugby was because of the Olympics. It is the pinnacle of their career. Not taking anything away from the World Series, because there's four of them between the Olympics. The gold medal in terms of the sevens is going to be the pinnacle of your rugby sevens career."

SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Friend, Australia men's rugby sevens head coach:(On the team's goal at the Olympics)

"We are here to win a gold medal. I think every team is doing the same though. I know our team has got stronger since the World Series, but every other team will have done the same. Rugby sevens it's just who delivers on the day. Our focus is to stay as calm as possible and we need to execute under fatigue and under the pressure of the games."

SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Friend, Australia men's rugby sevens head coach:(On favourites Fiji)

"They are a quality side and the weight of Fiji is resting on their shoulders which is a big pressure. They've been the world champions for the last two years, they've earned the right to be respected but over the next few days we'll see what happens."

SOUNDBITE (English) Ed Jenkins, Australia men's rugby sevens captain:(On the possibility of winning the gold medal)

"It'll be right up there, I've obviously been to a few Commonwealth Games and there's a bronze and a silver there so there's one that is missing. To walk away with a gold medal here would be very special and definitely a lifetime achievement."