The 2024 South Africa Sevens, which was rebranded this year as HSBC SVNS Cape Town or SVNS CPT, took place between 9th December and 10th December 2023.
The event was packed with upsets and stunning achievements. After all, current men’s champions Samoa were surprisingly eliminated at the pool stage! Meanwhile, in the women’s tournament, Michaela Blyde became only the second woman to score 200 tries in the international sevens competition.
Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament…
When did the Cape Town Rugby Sevens Tournament Take Place?
The Cape Town rugby sevens tournament ran from December 9th to December 10th 2023. The tournament was held at DHL Stadium. It was round two of the new HSBC SVNS 2024 Series.
Who Won HSBC SVNS Cape Town?
Australia (women) and Argentina (men) were the winners of HSBC SVNS Cape Town. Here’s how they got on in their respective gold medal matches:
- Men: Argentina 45-12 Australia
- Women: Australia 29-26 France
In the men’s final, Argentina overpowered Australia 45-12. In doing so, they claimed their first title in South Africa.
It was a similar story in the women’s final, where Australia overcame France after a back-and-forth affair. This was also their first South Africa Sevens title.
Cape Town Sevens Tournament Review - Men’s
The men’s tournament provided thrills and exciting action from the first kick until the last phase of play in the final. Here’s how the tournament unfolded:
Pool A
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Bonus Points | Points |
Ireland | 3 | 3 | 0 | +38 | 0 | 9 |
South Africa | 3 | 2 | 1 | +24 | 1 | 7 |
Great Britain | 3 | 1 | 2 | -14 | 1 | 4 |
USA | 3 | 0 | 3 | -48 | 1 | 1 |
Pool B
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Bonus Points | Points |
Fiji | 3 | 2 | 1 | +30 | 1 | 7 |
Argentina | 3 | 2 | 1 | +26 | 1 | 7 |
France | 3 | 2 | 1 | -9 | 0 | 6 |
Spain | 3 | 0 | 3 | -47 | 1 | 1 |
Pool C
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Bonus Points | Points |
Australia | 3 | 2 | 1 | +9 | 0 | 6 |
Canada | 3 | 2 | 1 | +19 | 0 | 6 |
New Zealand | 3 | 1 | 2 | +11 | 1 | 4 |
Samoa | 3 | 1 | 2 | -39 | 0 | 3 |
Following the conclusion of the pool stage, Argentina, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji and France advanced to the quarter-finals. The remaining teams competed in rankings play-offs.
These quarter-final matchups and results were as follows:
- Argentina 33-0 Canada
- Ireland 36-21 New Zealand
- Australia 28-0 South Africa
- Fiji 29-24 France
And the semi-finals results were:
- Argentina 26-19 Ireland
- Australia 24-7 Fiji
Then, Argentina won the gold medal match at a canter. They defeated Australia 45-12.
Cape Town Sevens Tournament Review - Women’s
The women’s tournament was equally as exciting as the men’s. Here’s a breakdown of how the tournament panned out:
Pool A
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Bonus Points | Points |
Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | +113 | 0 | 9 |
Fiji | 3 | 2 | 1 | +7 | 0 | 6 |
Japan | 3 | 1 | 2 | -75 | 0 | 3 |
Spain | 3 | 0 | 3 | -45 | 2 | 2 |
Pool B
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Bonus Points | Points |
New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 0 | +68 | 0 | 9 |
Great Britain | 3 | 2 | 1 | -14 | 0 | 6 |
Ireland | 3 | 1 | 2 | -5 | 1 | 4 |
Brazil | 3 | 0 | 3 | -49 | 0 | 0 |
Pool C
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points Difference | Bonus Points | Points |
France | 3 | 3 | 0 | +55 | 0 | 9 |
USA | 3 | 2 | 1 | +10 | 0 | 6 |
Canada | 3 | 1 | 2 | +31 | 2 | 5 |
South Africa | 3 | 0 | 3 | -96 | 0 | 0 |
As a result of the pool stage, Great Britain, the USA, Australia, Ireland, France, Fiji, New Zealand and Canada advanced to the quarter-finals. The remaining teams competed in rankings play-offs.
These quarter-final matchups and results were as follows:
- USA 19-12 Great Britain
- Australia 24-14 Ireland
- France 19-17 Fiji
- New Zealand 41-0 Canada
And the semi-finals results were:
- Australia 33-5 USA
- France 24-12 New Zealand
Finally, a thrilling and back-and-forth gold medal match finished Australia 29-26 France.
Will Cape Town Sevens Return for HSBC SVNS 2025?
Yes. Dates for HSBC SVNS Cape Town are yet to be confirmed, but this event should form round 2 of the HSBC SVNS Series for 2025. It’s expected that the event will take place in mid-December 2024.
