Bok Women Sevens claim gold in Krakow
DAY TWO WRAP: Springbok Women’s Sevens captain Mathrin Simmers heaped praised on her team after they closed out the last of three World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournaments, in Krakow, Poland, with their first victory in the trio of events.
Simmers said the 21-12 victory over Argentina in the Final and a very impressive 22-10 win over Kenya in the semifinal were just reward as the players “really brought it today”.
“We finally got it right,” she said after the Final.
“Third and then second in Cape Town and now a victory in Krakow – the shows the improvement and determination we had in the squad today. We were not going to be denied again.”
Simmers said the growth over the last couple of tournaments helped them to get it over the line on Saturday.
“We have learned a lot from previous tournaments and that played an important role in our success today,” she said.
“The standard of play in this Challenger has also improved tremendously from the early ones and this is a highly competitive tournament now where you have to be at your best to do well.”
She feels the quality is such that the four teams who qualified to travel to Los Angeles in May will have a realistic chance to topple the bottom four HSBC SVNS sides, who will compete with them to determine places in the 2026 World Series.
Simmers also had a special word for Nadine Roos, who once again excelled, leading her team to the gold medal with a series of amazing performances.
“Nadine is such a special player and a team player at that – she simply does not stop, and she refuses to give up,” said Simmers.
“It is very special to have such a player in your team that will never stop fighting for us.
“It is a huge plus to have her on our team and not have to play against her.”
Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga will join the Springbok Women in Spain on Sunday for next weekend’s Test against their hosts in Alicante and for Simmers, the silverware will also boost them.
“It is a massive year for our Springbok Women and women’s rugby in general, and wins like these just boost the exposure and confidence amongst players in both codes,” she said.
“I have no doubt that this win will boost the Springbok Women as well, going to the World Cup in England.”
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South Africa storm to the title in Krakow 🇿🇦#7sChallengerSeries pic.twitter.com/8hWjC2BBGw
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 12, 2025
Kenya women and Portugal men crowned champions of World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025
Although Germany were leading the men’s competition coming into the concluding round of the tournament, Portugal were able to overcome them in the semifinals to set themselves up for a place in the Final against Samoa.
Fans were treated to a tantalising showdown with the teams due to go into half-time level had it not been for the impressive skill of Manuel Vareiro with an up-and-under-kick which saw them edge into the lead.
Ultimately, Portugal were able to keep ahead with Fabio Conceicao sealing their fate.
Not only did the Portuguese team take the title in Krakow, but they also cemented themselves as HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 Champions, having previously also won the second round of the series in Cape Town.
Portugal’s Captain Fabio Conceicao commented after the win: “It’s been amazing for us as a young group coming to this tournament with big teams.
“We knew we could beat anyone and that’s what we did, we showed it on the pitch.”
South Africa capped off a dominant weekend in Krakow in the women’s competition with a convincing 21-12 win over Argentina in the Final showdown of the day, following a 22-0 shutout against the same opponents the day before.
Having twice finished runners-up to Kenya in the series, this time it was South Africa’s moment to shine.
The Springbok Women won all their fixtures across both days, showcasing clinical execution and relentless pace.
Their unbeaten run in Krakow secured them the top prize and marked a standout performance to close out the Challenger series on a high and reaffirm their status as a powerhouse on the sevens stage.
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History was made as Kenya Women were crowned overall champions of the HSBC Sevens Challenger Series, following a string of impressive performances across all three rounds.
They kicked off their campaign in style by winning the opening two tournaments in Cape Town, displaying consistency, skill, and resilience throughout.
Their dominance in Cape Town set the tone, securing back-to-back titles with commanding wins.
Despite a tough final leg in Krakow, where they finished third at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium, their cumulative success was enough to seal the series crown.
Kenya’s Captain Grace Okulu said after raising the trophy: “It’s actually been a tough couple of days in Krakow, but we bounced back and we were able to win the series.
“Since last year, we didn’t qualify, so this year we really had a lot to do.
“It actually feels amazing, I don’t think anyone in Kenya Rugby has ever done this!
“But being the first females and for us to be the champions of the series, it actually means so much to us.
“It’s always nice having Kenyans around, it’s always a party! If you know where the party is, you’ll always find Kenyans!
“We are so lucky so have our fans come to support us all the way.”
LOS ANGELES QUALIFICATION SECURED
In a turn of events, Canada could not continue their winning streak on the final day with a defeat to Samoa who saved their best performance until last.
Their passionate four-try display secured them a place in the semifinals and an all-important spot in the HSBC SVNS play-offs, which will take place in Los Angeles on May 3 and 4.
Samoa’s Meni Manase commented after the historic moment: “Our first goal was to qualify for LA [Los Angeles], and that’s ticked off.
“It’s an awesome achievement. It feels so unreal! First time being overseas and coming from a small country, it really means a lot to our coaches and our families.”
In the women’s competition, an exciting dual between Thailand and Argentina in the opening round went down to the wire with one point separating the teams.
That point proved crucial, not only giving Argentina the win but also ensuring that Colombia had enough points to progress to Los Angeles.
The Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe.
The short format of the game has experienced huge growth over the past two decades since the introduction of the global sevens series and becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.
The 2025 edition of the Challenger competition kicked off with combined events over two weekends in Cape Town on March 1-2 and 7-8, followed by Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow on April 11-12.
Next up, all eyes are on the HSBC SVNS play-off in Los Angeles on May 3 and 4.
See below for all Day Two results…
Day Two results
Men
Fifth-place semifinal
Chile 17-14 Japan
Madagascar 38-17 Tonga
Cup semifinal
Germany 17-24 Portugal
Canada 5-28 Samoa
Seventh-place play-off
Japan 12-45 Tonga
Fifth-place play-off
Chile 14-24 Madagascar
Third place play-off
Germany 21-19 Canada
Cup Final
Portugal 24-19 Samoa
Women
Fifth-place semifinal
Columbia 26-24 Poland
Czech Republic 10-19 Belgium
Cup semifinal
Thailand 20-21 Argentina
South Africa 22-10 Kenya
Seventh-place play-off
Poland 17-24 Czech Republic
Fifth-place play-off
Colombia 0-10 Belgium
Third place play-off
Thailand 19-27 Kenya
Cup Final
Argentina 12-21 South Africa
Sources: SA Rugby & HSBC SVNS
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