Surprise results on thrilling first day at HSBC SVNS Perth
Uruguay made the headlines on a thrilling first day of HSBC SVNS action at HBF Park in Perth as they beat rugby sevens powerhouses Fiji and New Zealand
- Uruguay, Spain, France and South Africa men secure double victories on day one at HSBC SVNS Perth
- New Zealand, Japan, Canada, USA, France and Australia claim pair of wins to book places in Saturday’s women’s quarter-finals
- HBF Park in Perth is hosting the third round of HSBC SVNS 2025 on 24-26 January
- Pool matches continue from 12:00 (GMT+8) on Saturday, with the quarter-finals at 17:27. Finals day kicks off at 13:30 on Sunday with the women’s final at 20:11
- Following last year’s finals day sell-out, fans are urged to secure their tickets to avoid disappointment. Remaining tickets are available from www.svns.com
Uruguay made the headlines on a thrilling first day of HSBC SVNS action at HBF Park in Perth as the South Americans overcame traditional rugby sevens powerhouses Fiji and New Zealand to lead men’s pool C
Meanwhile Spain continued their scintillating start to the season with a pair of victories over Great Britain and Ireland to lead pool B alongside Olympic champions France, while South Africa lead a tight pool A on maximum points.
While Australia’s women continued their exceptional form with a pair of convincing victories over China and Spain on day one, there was disappointment for the hosts in the men’s competition as they slipped to narrow defeats against Argentina and South Africa, but could still reach the quarter-finals if they beat the USA in their final pool match on Saturday.
Olympic Champions New Zealand and Japan lead women’s pool A following opening day wins over last season’s Perth winners Ireland, and Brazil for whom Thalia Costa became her nation’s first player to reach the 100 SVNS Series try milestone, claiming three tries on day one in Perth to bring her career tally to 101.
North American rivals the USA and Canada top pool B after beating Fiji and Great Britain on day one, while France join Australia in qualifying for Saturday’s quarter-finals from pool C.
RESULTS, POOLS AND FIXTURES >>
Uruguay men’s captain Diego Ardao said: “Amazing! It’s unbelievable what we have achieved here. It’s more than just two games, it’s about who we faced and proving we can beat them. For us it is huge and helps us to build our confidence for what awaits next. We give everything for the team and for each other on the pitch.”
Women’s Olympic champions New Zealand lead the current standings, closely following by reigning SVNS champions Australia who will be looking for glory on home soil this weekend.
Fiji lead the men’s standings following gold in Dubai and bronze in Cape Town, ahead of Spain who continue to impress with the impressive quality of their performances.
Men’s Olympic champions France are looking to retain their SVNS Champions crown after they defeated SVNS league winners Argentina to claim the inaugural men’s title in 2024. Meanwhile New Zealand’s women secured their second successive Olympic title in Paris and will be aiming to reclaim the SVNS Champions title they lost to Australia in 2024.
The HSBC SVNS pool play continues from 12:00 on Saturday before the quarter-finals begin at 17:27. Sunday’s finals day begins at 13:30 with the men’s and women’s finals at 19:35 and 20:11 respectively.
In a landmark first, the women’s final will be the last showpiece match of the tournament, taking centre stage on Sunday evening and bringing down the curtain on HSBC SVNS Perth.
Alongside the epic rugby sevens action, featuring the world’s best 12 men’s and women’s teams packed with Olympic stars, fans can enjoy global food offerings, interactive activities, roaming performers and a blockbuster line-up of entertainment.
Internationally acclaimed artists Voyager featuring Perth Symphony Orchestra’s INNEKA, Southern River Band, and Adrian Dzvuke are some of the big names set to light up the stage with unforgettable performances.
Following last year’s finals day sell-out, fans are urged to secure their tickets to avoid disappointment. Remaining tickets are available from www.svns.com
Fans can watch the HSBC SVNS action wherever you are in the world, either via broadcaster partners or on www.RugbyPassTV.