Jeremy Henry got his title defence off to a winning start as Australia’s representatives enjoyed a perfect opening day at the Bowls World Cup in Warilla.

A three-time defending champion, Henry survived a tricky opening match in section one beating South African Nicholas Rusling 11-6, 4-9, 2-1. 

‘‘I have been lucky enough to win it three times and it doesn’t get any easier. The nerves are always there in the first game. Lucky enough I got through it,’’ Henry said after the match.

‘‘Most of my preparation for this has been getting everyone here.

‘‘I do lot of the organising for it and haven’t been practicing as much as I should but then you get into the event and everyone is here. 

‘‘You get the competitive juices going and you get into it.’’

Fellow men’s Australian representative David Holt was also in good touch on the other side of the men’s draw, winning both of his first two matches at the Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club.

Holt defeated Turkey’s Ozkan Akar 13-5, 13-4 in the first round before beating Norkolk Island’s Ryan Dixon 12-6, 14-6 in the afternoon session.

The pair will face stiff from Kiwi gun Ali Forsyth and Scotland’s Champion of Champions victor Iain McLean in the tournament. 

McLean got the better of Fiji’s Abdul Kalim in his opening round match.

‘‘The field is always good here,’’ Henry said.

‘‘You have your usual suspects coming from Scotland, New Zealand and Ireland. 

‘‘The thing this year, the best man at my wedding [Ian McClure] who I started playing bowls with in Ireland is representing them, so from my point of view us playing in two different sections, it would be great to meet at the end. 

‘‘There is a lot of playing before that happens.’’

Henry will continue his charge to an unprecedented fourth successive title on Thursday when he meets Japan’s Hisasharu Sato.

Holt has  two matches on day two against Canada’s John Bjornson and Singapore’s Kah Hock Tan.

In the women’s section two, Australia’s Jamie-Lee Worsnop picked up a 12-6, 16-2 first round triumph over US representative Alexis Bos. She will play Macao’s Kitty Chan on Thursday.

Irish contender Cliodhna Eadie won a 7-8, 14-5, 5-2 nail-biter over Celena Kwok (Hong Kong China).