Sevens Series Supercharge: Cape Town Tipped For Thrilling Rugby Tournament
By Priscilla Jepchumba
The Cape Town Sevens is set to transform the HSBC SVNS Series with an exciting new format that elevates the significance of each match.
This year, the tournament will feature 12 teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions, organized into four pools of three. The stakes are high, as the winners of each pool will advance directly to the semi-finals, while the second and third-placed teams will battle it out for positions 5th-8th and 9th-12th.
This shift in competition format follows a thrilling Dubai Sevens, where Australia’s women and Fiji’s men clinched gold medals. Now, all eyes are on Cape Town’s iconic DHL Stadium, where fierce rivalries will reignite on December 7-8, promising action-packed encounters.
Australia, fresh off their fifth title in Dubai, claims the lead in Pool A, joined by formidable opponents Canada and Brazil. Captain Isabella Nasser exudes confidence in her team’s unity and talent: “We’ve got such a tight-knit group... the best is yet to come.”
Meanwhile, Pool B sees New Zealand pitted against Japan and China, while Pool C features an intriguing contest among France, Ireland, and Spain, each eager to outshine the other. In Pool D, Great Britain faces off against the USA and Fiji as the Americans seek to improve upon their fifth-place finish from Dubai.
The men's competition showcases an array of challenging pools, with make-or-break encounters anticipated throughout. Leading Pool A is Fiji, accompanied by Great Britain and Uruguay. Pool B brings Australia face-to-face with Spain and Kenya, who delivered surprising performances in their previous outings.
Pool C is packed with intensity as Argentina, South Africa, and Ireland go head-to-head, while Pool D features renowned teams New Zealand, France, and the USA, all looking to rebound from inconsistent results in Dubai.
Cape Town serves as the second stop in a thrilling journey across seven key locations in the 2025 HSBC SVNS Series, which will also include stops in Perth, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Los Angeles. The grand finale will take place in LA, where champions will be crowned, and the fates of teams will hang in the balance with potential promotions or demotions.
This innovative format heightens the excitement, making each game feel crucial. With the necessity to secure a top spot in their pool for a shot at the semi-finals, the competition promises to be more intense than ever. As classic rivalries reignite and surprises loom on the horizon, Cape Town is poised to be a memorable chapter in the SVNS Series.