New Zealand and Argentina claim historic Hong Kong Sevens titles

New Zealand and Argentina are this season’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens champions after triumphing in enthralling Cup Finals on Sunday. With thousands bringing the noise at the all-new Kai Tak Stadium, these HSBC SVNS Series sides delivered history-making feats on the field.

For the Black Ferns Sevens, their 26-19 win over Australia marked a three-peat of titles dating back to another win over their neighbours from across the ditch in the 2023 decider. The New Zealanders repeated those title-winning heroics against the USA 12 months ago.

Then, in the men’s decider, Argentina’s rugby heroes etched their names into history once again by taking out the Hong Kong Sevens crown for the first time ever. They got the better of France 14-nil in a fierce battle that could’ve gone either way – the French chasing their first title here too.

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After winning the third-place playoff with a last-gasp try against Fiji, many of the Australia men’s players stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the women’s side sung the national anthem in front of a full house at the 50,000-seat venue.

Coach Tim Walsh had named Australia’s most inexperienced women’s sevens side in 10 years for this event, but the “youngins” – as debutant Amahli Hala described them on Friday – stood tall during an epic run to the big dance.

Reigning World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Maddison Levi led the way with a double as the Aussies went into the break level at 12-all. But the Black Ferns Sevens did enough with Jorja Milelr leading the way with two tries in as many minutes to seal it.

“To be honest, we talked about through this week the legacy of Hong Kong Sevens and we had a New Zealand team in the early 2000s come out here when women’s rugby wasn’t really a thing,” Miller, who was named Player of the Final, told RugbyPass.

“One of the girls, Anna Richards, came to our jersey presentation… the legacy, one of our coaches has played here.

“Man, the crowd, the atmosphere, it gets us going, it brings out the best rugby.”

The men’s decider was another tense battle with Argentina and France unable to take the lead during an enthralling first-half. Defence was king during that seven minute period but eventually, one of the teams had to break.

Former Los Pumas Sevens captain Santiago Alvarez broke the deadlock with an effort in the 10^th minute, and speedster Marcos Moneta helped the Argentinians extend their hard-fought advantage shortly after.

France had the final say with Gregoire Arfueil running through a gap to score just as the siren sounded. But it didn’t trouble the Argentinians, with Moneta lying on the crowd it a state of relief and celebration – for the first time, Los Pumas Sevens are Hong Kong Sevens champions.

“There’s a mix of emotions because Hong Kong is so much more for us,” Moneta told RugbyPass. “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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