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How the men's Challenger Series stands as batte for play-offs commences
By Ian Cameron
As the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series heads into its final leg in Munich this weekend, the men’s standings show a tightly contested race for the top four spots.
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The series offers a pathway to HSBC SVNS 2025, with the top four teams in the standings set to secure a place in the promotion and relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid.
South American force Uruguay tops the table with 36 points and a points difference of 109. Kenya – also with 36 points but a points difference of 83 – follows closely in second place.
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Kenya are something of a sleeping giant, having previously been on the HSBC SVNS circuit proper. They won the 2016 Singapore Sevens and will be desperate to make it back into the shortened code’s top flight. They won the Challenger Series in Dubai earlier this year after beating Chile 12-5 in a tight final.
Both sides are hot favourites to qualify for the Madrid playoffs.
Chile sits in third with 32 points and a points difference of 78. Their position is strong but by no means unassailable.
Hosts Germany and Hong Kong China are tied with 26 points each. Germany – with a superior points difference of 106 – holds the fourth spot. They are narrowly ahead of fifth-placed Hong Kong China. Hong Kong China have a points difference of 96, just 10 points behind this weekend’s hosts.
“To have given ourselves an opportunity, particularly after a poor Dubai leg, is great,” said Hong Kong China head coach Jevon Groves. “I thought the boys really played some great stuff in Uruguay to get to the final and put us into the position to make top four. But obviously we have to go to Germany and do as well again which is going to be tough because the top three look as if they are going to be there or thereabouts and Germany are hosting the tournament, and the hosts traditionally do well.”
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It’s a neck-and-neck situation as they battle to make Madrid.
Tonga have 18 points and a points difference of -13 and find themselves in sixth place. Their chances of breaking into the top four are slim but not impossible; although they are dependent on other outcomes in Munich.
Japan follows with 15 points and a points difference of 32.
Uganda has 14 points with a points difference of 63. Both teams are also outside contenders and will need exceptional results to leapfrog into the top four.
Further down the standings, Georgia has accumulated 10 points with a points difference of -76. Portugal has 9 points and a points difference of -54. Both teams have had challenging campaigns and are almost certainly out of contention.
Papua New Guinea and Mexico round out the standings with 4 and 2 points, respectively. Papua New Guinea has a points difference of -58, and Mexico’s stands at -366.
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