HSBC SVNS: Kenya thrill as Argentina men retain HSBC SVNS League title in Singapore

Argentina set up a semi-final at Singapore's National Stadium against Fiji while Kenya and Spain will tussle in the other last-four match.

POOL A: South Africa beat Argentina who recover to become League Winners

Argentina dusted themselves down from losing an epic tie against South Africa to edge out Great Britain by a score and in doing so top Pool A, reach the semi-final and put them out of reach in the League title race ahead of the World Championships in Los Angeles at the beginning of May.

"Now we are champions twice, I can’t believe it," said an emotional Pumas coach Santiago Gomez Cora. "Our goal was to make Argentina powerful and we did it. We are very happy, very proud that Argentina are champions again."

Argentina's Marcos Moneta scored his 150th try in the 19-12 win over Great Britain for whom Harry Glover was available after his red card against South Africa was rescinded on appeal.

A fine strike run by Charlton Kerr had halved the British deficit following Joaquin Pellandini's score but a quick-tap penalty by captain Santiago Mare released Matias Osadczuk to put his team in charge again, and they survived a Matteo Graziano yellow card and a Tom Williams try to become League Winners once more.

South Africa, having lost 38-10 to impressive Great Britain earlier, were fighting for their lives by the time they met Argentina. The match swung one way then the other but the score was five points in Los Pumas' favour when the hooter blared and with the ball still in play. Both teams registered some huge hits, and it took a gorgeous left-footed grubber kick by David Brits, pounced on by Zander Reynders for his first Blitzboks try, to settle it 26-24.

For all their effort, South Africa will play a ninth-place semi-final against USA on day two while Great Britain will face New Zealand in the fifth-place semi.

POOL B: Kenya reach first semi-final since 2018

Kenya sent their fans into raptures with a 10-7 victory over Olympic champions France securing their place in the last four. Vincent Onyala had given Kenya a deserved 7-0 half-time lead but dazzling footwork by burly Joe Quere Karaba put France back on terms.

With Patrick Odongo Okong’o having limped off, Kenya's chances of ending a seven-game losing stream against Les Bleus might have seem weakened. However, a minute after the hooter had sounded, Nygel Amaitsa went for the posts with a Kenyan penalty and that, on top of their 17-7 win over penalty-afflicted Ireland earlier in the day, meant Kenya could not be caught in the pool.

Ireland finished on three points; France, who will play Australia in a ninth-place semi-final, on two.

POOL C: Spain take top billing as Australia lose twice

Spain began the Singapore event in third place overall but such is the nature of the four-pool set-up that even high-flying teams can miss out on the semi-finals.

They were given a fright by Uruguay when, despite being Eduardo Lopez and Tobias Sainz-Trapaga tries to the good, they found themselves playing with only five men. Los Teros' Diego Ardao was held up on the try line by three Spaniards when he had two teammates free to his left, but Mateo Vinals and Dante Soto did make sure with their efforts to set up a nail-biting finish. However, Jeremy Trevithick scored to make the final score 21-12.

Later, a move characterised by looping runs mixed with hard angles was rounded off by Matthew Gonzalez to put Australia in front against the South Americans, who then scored four converted tries without reply to register their first win over Australia in HSBC SVNS. The 28-5 scoreline was only their sixth win of the season.

Two Pol Pla tries helped Spain to a 28-7 success against Australia and a semi against Kenya. "This is a very special year," said Spain's Tobias Sainz-Trapaga. "Things are starting to click. It’s crazy. We are like a family."

POOL D: Fiji unbeaten on day one

The presence in the stadium of All Blacks legend Dan Carter was not enough to prevent New Zealand missing out on a semi-final in Singapore as their 29-14 win over USA preceded a 36-5 six-try thumping by Fiji in the winner-takes-all clash.

Fiji also ran in six tries against USA in a 38-0 victory that augurs well for their chances of winning the cup on Sunday. Joseva Talacolo, George Bose, Iowane Teba and Tira Wilagi had the Fijians 24-0 up by half-time in a masterclass of offloading sevens rugby.

Joji Nasova became the series' top scorer when he feinted to throw but instead made a quick change of direction and raced home. His two further tries against New Zealand took his tally to 24 this season.