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Dan Carter hails SVNS 'excitement' as World Championship lineup confirmed

By Finn Morton at National Stadium, Singapore

41 days ago

Argentina and New Zealand celebrating winning SVNS Series league titles. Picture: World Rugby.

It’s all to play for in Los Angeles next month when the HSBC SVNS Series heads Stateside for the winner-takes-all World Championship on May 3-4 at Dignity Health Sports Park, which is also the host venue for rugby sevens at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

After six regular season events around the world, New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens and Los Pumas Sevens from Argentina were crowned league winners in Singapore. New Zealand and Fiji also triumphed in Cup Finals at the National Stadium on Sunday.

But the race to become overall SVNS Series champions heats up with an enthralling season finale in LA only a matter of weeks away.

The top eight teams in men’s and women’s sevens will battle it out in a fight for the SVNS Series’ top prize. As for the other four teams on the Series, they’re set to take on the best sides from the second-tier Challenger Series in a play-off.

LA’s Dignity Health Sports Park will host the World Championship and SVNS Series playoffs on May 3-4. Don’t miss out – buy your tickets HERE.

Great Britain secured their place at the World Championship during the Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium. The Brits join Argentina, Spain, Fiji, South Africa, France, Australia and New Zealand in the men’s top eight ahead of the stop in the City of Angels.

Much like their countrymen, the Great Britain women’s side were one of the last teams to punch their ticket to the World Championship. With ninth-place Brazil losing to competitions heavyweights New Zealand on Saturday, Fiji will also challenge for the overall SVNS Series crown.

Incredibly, Fiji finished second at last month’s Hong Kong Sevens but weren’t guaranteed a World Championship spot until the second-last day of the regular season. The other six women’s teams are New Zealand, Australia, France, Canada, the USA and Japan.

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Dan Carter attended the SVNS event in Singapore for the first time over the weekend, and the legendary All Black was full of praise for the upcoming World Championship which “brings that element of edge and excitement.”

“I like it. In the rugby calendar, it’s nice to have something to work towards and then high-pressure situations,” Carter told RugbyPass in Singapore.

“You see it in a lot of other sports as well; you compete in a series and then you have your champion at the end and then you go into a finals series. It just brings that element of edge and excitement and things can happen.

“Look at last year, how dominant Argentina was throughout the Series and then France, they just came and were victorious in Madrid. Once again, they’ve dominated Argentina and it doesn’t guarantee that they’re going to go to LA and win.

“It’s all on the line and also the repechage games as well to give some of the lower-tier nations a chance to compete against the best teams as well. Really enjoying the format of the Series.”

This event pits the world’s best rugby sevens athletes against one another with everything on the line as far as SVNS Series dreams go. There are no second chances for these teams in a bid to become world champions in 2024/25.

The pools were confirmed after last weekend’s event in Singapore. The eight sides were spread across two groups, with the top two teams progressing to the semi-finals.

League winners Argentina have been pitted against South Africa, France and Great Britain in Pool A. Singapore champions FIji have been drawn into a pool of death with traditional foe New Zealand, Australia, and one of the Series’ most consistent sides this season in Spain.

In women’s sevens, back-to-back league winners New Zealand will face Olympic silver medallists Canada, Japan and Great Britain in Pool A. Singapore runners-up Australia headline Pool B, which also includes France, the USA and Fiji.

The other sides from the SVNS Series will face the top-four teams from the second-tier Challenger Series in play-off matches. Kenya, Uruguay, Ireland and the USA are the four nations from the men’s competition, while Brazil, China, Ireland and Spain are the women’s teams.

Download the RugbyPass App to watch exclusive SVNS Series videos and catch up on the latest news you need to know. Download it from the App Store HERE or Google Play.

Men’s pools for SVNS Series World Championship

Pool A: Argentina, South Africa, France, Great Britain

Pool B: Fiji, Spain, Australia, New Zealand

Women’s pools for SVNS Series World Championship

Pool A: New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Great Britain

Pool B: Australia, France, USA, Fiji

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Comments on RugbyPass

Cantab 5 days ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 5 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 5 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 5 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 5 days ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

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0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 5 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍