The final leg of the HSBC SVNS 2025 season takes place in Los Angeles from 3-4 May as the World Championship 2025 and Relegation Play-Offs will be contested – we look at the Los Angeles SVNS 2025 pools and format as the season concludes.
Updates to Squad & News April 30 2025
World Rugby said, “The winner-takes-all season finale takes place in the Dignity Health Sports Park – the LA 2028 Olympic venue for rugby sevens – and features the top eight ranked men’s and women’s teams competing to be crowned HSBC SVNS 2025 Champions.”
All Black legend Dan Carter was in attendance in Singapore (we had a fascinating interview with him), where he commented on the upcoming HSBC SVNS World Championship event: “I like it. In the rugby calendar, it’s nice to have something to work towards and then high-pressure situations. You see it in a lot of other sports as well; you compete in a series, and then you have your champion at the end. Then, you go into a finals series. It just brings that element of edge and excitement, and things can happen.
Los Angeles SVNS 2025 – Pools World Championship
The pools are based on rankings and were confirmed at the conclusion of the event in Singapore. The World Championship competition format involves two pools of four teams each, with the top two teams in each pool reaching the semi-finals.
Women’s Pools Los Angeles SVNS 2025
Women’s Pool A features Olympic champions New Zealand, together with silver medallists Canada, as well as Japan and Great Britain.
Australia is in Pool B with France, the hosts, and the Olympic bronze medallists, the USA, and Fiji.
Pool A
- NZ
- Canada
- Japan
- GB
NZ Black Ferns 7s could hand a debut to Jaymie Kolose and Le’Oxeayn Maiu’u.
Japan Sakura 7s announced their travelling squad on Monday, 28th April, and more can be seen here via the JRFU.
Photo Credit – JRFU – Sakura 7s squad
Pool B
- Australia
- France
- USA
- Fiji
The Fijiana 7s are handing a potential debut to Mariana Talatoka.
Men’s Pools Los Angeles SVNS 2025
Pool A
- Argentina
- SA
- France
- GB
In Men’s Pool A SVNS league winners Argentina will face South Africa, Olympic champions France and Great Britain.
The Blitzboks welcome the return of their leading try-scorer for the season, Quewin Nortje, two-time world series winners Ronald Brown and Mfundo Ndhlovu, who all missed recent tournaments due to injury. They replace Donavan Don, Dewald Human (both injured) and Sebastiaan Jobb (suspended).
Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman said, “It is great to have those three back, as they all have game-breaking abilities. Quewin’s pace and finishing ability out wide are very valuable, while Mfundo’s physicality in the midfield gives us more options on how we want to attack. He runs great short lines, which can set up rucks in the midfield, situations where Ronald’s pace off the mark can punish opponents. But individuals aside, it will be a team effort that will bring success or not.”
Pool B
- Fiji
- Spain
- Australia
- NZ
Singapore victors Fiji are in Pool B with Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
Fiji and New Zealand have selected several players who were recently involved in tournaments in Asia. Masori Nasova is in the Fiji team after playing at the Borneo 7s 2025, while Sam Howling, Rob Rush & Kitona Vai all appeared at the HKFC 10s 2025 and are in the NZ squad.
Despite it being the final event of the Series, there are a number of potential debutantes. Masora Nasova (Fiji), Lasaro Bogisa (Fiji), Aisea Nawai (Fiji), Sam Howling (NZ), and Wallaca Charlie (Australia).
SVNS Play-Off Competition – Los Angeles 2025
The teams placed ninth to twelfth in the HSBC SVNS 2025 rankings will also be in action in Los Angeles, joining the top four ranked teams from the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger in the Play-Off competition.
These are for the women: Brazil, China, Ireland and Spain, and for the men: Kenya, Uruguay, Ireland and the USA
The third and final round of the Challenger took place in Kraków, Poland, from 11-12 April. The eight men’s teams competing in Krakow were Germany, Canada, Portugal, Chile, Samoa, Japan, Madagascar and Tonga. The women’s teams were Kenya, South Africa, Argentina, Colombia, Thailand, Czechia, Poland and Belgium.
The teams that qualified for the HSBC SVNS Play-Off competition in LA are;
- Women: Kenya, South Africa, Argentina, Colombia
- Men: Portugal, Canada, Germany and Samoa
Pools SVNS Play-Off Competition – Los Angeles 2025
Women’s Pools
Pool Play-Off A
- Brazil
- Spain
- Kenya
- Colombia
Pool Play-Off B
- China
- Ireland
- South Africa
- Argentina
The South African women confirmed the inclusion of dual Springbok Simamkele Namba and Springbok Women’s Sevens head coach Renfred Dazel said of her return after nearly a year due to injury, “Namba thrives in these situations and is such a great player to have around. She provides that spark that every team need and I am just happy to have her back.”
Also included after missing out in Krakow are Leigh Fortuin, Felicia Jacobs and Alicia Willemse, while Kemisetso Baloyi, who picked up an injury in Krakow, has not recovered in time. Nadine Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga are in the squad after joining the Bok Women on their recent tour of Spain for the 15s match.
Willemse came off the bench as replacement scrum-half to earn a first Test cap for the Springbok Women in the win against Spain, and five weeks ago made her debut in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town. She said, “Whether fifteens or sevens, both teams are desperate to do the jersey justice and make the country proud. I have not walked the Sevens journey that long, but I can tell you that this team is very, very determined to regain that top 12 spot on the world circuit.”
Men’s Pools
Pool Play-Off A
- Kenya
- USA
- Portugal
- Samoa
Pool Play-Off B
- Uruguay
- Ireland
- Germany
- Canada
We think all of the media by now have heard the proposed new format for the HSBC SVNS from next season, and we know the teams have been informed. We think there is going to be a big outcry when it’s officially announced but we will wait and see what World Rugby confirms over the coming weeks.
How To Watch the LA SVNS 2025
The HSBC SVNS and Challenger will be available via broadcaster partners or RugbyPassTV.
You can see the full schedule and results here.
HSBC SVNS 2025 News
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- Third Leg Of HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger 2025 – Krakow.
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