Five reasons not to miss men’s HSBC SVNS Singapore

Two days of the best facing the best with no margin for error, the Singapore SVNS has to be on your must-watch list this weekend:

1. Argentina: a team in full flow

Argentina are runaway league leaders for a reason. Los Pumas have been irresistible in 2024, putting together a 16-match winning run since a surprising 24-19 defeat to the USA on day one in Perth.

That streak includes victories over all their major rivals, and titles at each of the past three SVNS stops. The attack, led by the brilliant Marcos Moneta (20 tries in 28 matches this season) has been purring, but of equal importance, they lead the defensive stats.

A 12-point lead over second-placed Fiji – with Spain a further two points back – appears insurmountable with a second successive league crown tantalisingly in grasp. Not that the men in blue and white will be holding anything back in Singapore, they seem to be on a mission to be in prime form for the Grand Final; a title that painfully eluded them last season.

2. Rest of best have plenty to play for

Despite Argentina’s commanding advantage at the top, there is so much on the line for the teams bunched behind.

First up, with a bit of help, Fiji or Spain could steal the league trophy from the South Americans. That would require a win for either chaser and the leaders to finish eighth or lower in Singapore. Unlikely perhaps, but not impossible, especially with the condensed, two-day format (see more below).

Either-way, a win in Singapore for Spain would be historic and send out far-reaching ripples for the game’s future, while victory would neatly bookend an encouraging season for a refreshed Fiji squad.

Behind them, South Africa will be looking to show they are better than their ninth place in Hong Kong, while France, Australia and a young New Zealand will have the final chance to avoid winless seasons and warm-up for the Los Angeles Grand Final in style.

3. Bottom four searching for Playoff boost

While the identity of the four teams dropping down into the HSBC Playoffs in Los Angeles next month is already clear, the form of the quartet who will be fighting for their elite futures is still to be decided.

Kenya’s Hong Kong results neatly sum up just how tough this league is. Commanding victors over Spain on day one in Hong Kong, the East Africans then lost in the final seconds to Olympic champions France on day two. Yet still they finished the tournament 10^th.

One point behind them in the table comes Uruguay. The South Americans, promoted last season, were brilliant in Perth earlier this year, beating both Fiji and New Zealand. But have struggled since. Which side will show in Singapore?

Ireland know what it is like to scale the heights having finished second in the league last year. But a radically different squad have found life tough this time around. However, having failed to get out the bottom two all season, the men in green were transformed in Hong Kong. Was that a turning point?

The USA prop up the table but in the 6ft 6in lightening booted David Stills, they have a real find. If they can get the ball to the big man more often, could he kickstart a strong final showing?

4. High-stakes Pool stage

Given all the above, it should be no surprise that there are must-win (and indeed must-watch) matches from the gun. Particularly when you throw in the compressed, four-pools-of-three and straight to semifinals format.

Check this out for starters: just one of Argentina, South Africa or Great Britain will emerge from Pool A to make the semifinals, and only one of Spain, Australia or Uruguay can join them.

The early heavyweight clashes do not stop there either. Fiji will play New Zealand in Pool D, knowing that the loser is done and dusted as far as medals are concerned. Brutal and utterly fascinating.

5. Sure to be magic in the air

When considering whether you have time to tune in to the action in Singapore (surely, we’ve convinced you by now…) there is the magic, beyond these high-stakes match-ups to bear in mind.

No one who saw it will forget 19-year-old Sidney Harvey’s face when he scored a last-minute try to snatch bronze for Australia in front of thousands of delirious fans in Hong Kong. His post-match quote was not bad either: "I'm just happy I bloody caught the thing!” Harvey beamed. "I'll never forget that. It's awesome."

Watch for plenty more of that as the league season comes to a glorious end in Singapore.