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Fiji and New Zealand set to face off as pools for SVNS Singapore revealed
By Finn Morton reporting from Hong Kong
Another chapter in the storied HSBC SVNS Series rivalry between Fiji and New Zealand will be written on Saturday at Singapore’s National Stadium. After the Hong Kong Sevens decider on Sunday, the pools for this season’s round-robin finale on April 5-6 were allocated.
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Fiji and New Zealand headline Pool D in the men’s draw, but don’t sleep on the USA who have pushed some of the best teams on the circuit this season. With the same competition format as SVNS Cape Town being used, only one of these sides will remain in the title race.
The winners from the four pools will progress through to the semi-finals. That makes both pool matches must-win games for all teams who have ambitions of ending the regular season with some silverware ahead of the World Championship in Los Angeles on May 3-4.
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Australia have been pitted against one of the SVNS Series’ most consistent sides in Spain and giant-slayers Uruguay who beat both Fiji and New Zealand at Perth’s HBF Park in January. The Australians are looking to go a couple better after placing third in Hong Kong China.
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In Pool B, Hong Kong Sevens runners-up France will come up against Ireland who showed some tremendous signs of growth over the three-day event. Kenya are also vying for a spot in the semi-finals after some promising wins at Kai Tak Stadium.
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Finally, South Africa and Great Britain have a tough task ahead of them after being drawn in the same pool as Hong Kong Sevens champions Argentina. Los Pumas Sevens are also the clear leaders on the overall men’s standings and look likely to take out the league title.
“There’s a mix of emotions because Hong Kong is so much more for us,” Argentina’s Marcos Moneta told RugbyPass after winning the Hong Kong Sevens Cup Final. “It’s a really historic tournament.
“It’s the second time we’ve reached the final and this time we won it. Personally, it was my debut and then last year I broke my fibula here before the Olympics.
“It was a mix of emotions. Hong Kong, it’s a really far away place and my parents came here all the way from Argentina to support me and they are here beside me and to win, it’s all perfect. It’s amazing.”
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In women’s sevens, North American neighbours Canada and the United States will meet in an intriguing Pool C showdown. Great Britain are the third side in a group which really could go either way a month out from the winner-takes-all World Championship.
France, Fiji and Ireland will face off in Pool D, while Hong Kong Sevens runners-up Australia will clash with Japan and Spain in Pool B. SVNS Series leaders New Zealand will take on Thalia Costa’s Brazil and China in a bid to make yet another semi-final this season.
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Men’s Pools
Pool A: Argentina, Great Britain, South Africa
Pool B: France, Ireland, Kenya
Pool C: Australia, Spain, Uruguay
Pool D: Fiji, New Zealand, USA
Women’s Pools
Pool A: New Zealand, Brazil, China
Pool B: Australia, Japan, Spain
Pool C: Canada, USA, Great Britain
Pool D: France, Fiji, Ireland
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