Preview: Singapore Sevens
ROUND SEVEN: Singapore National Stadium is set to host the hotly anticipated seventh and final regular season round of HSBC SVNS 2024 on May 3-5 as the World SVNS League winner will be crowned.
In perhaps the most competitive HSBC SVNS season ever it is all to play for as Argentina hold an eight-point advantage over Ireland, with both teams looking for their first-ever SVNS league winners title.
Singapore will also witness the battle to secure an all-important top-eight position and a place at the HSBC SVNS Grand Final in Madrid from May 31 to June 2.
This year’s edition sees the women’s teams compete in Singapore for the first time as the tournament expands to three thrilling days of rugby sevens action with the top 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams from around the world sharing the platform to showcase their outstanding speed, skill and strength ahead of performing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in July.
SVNS standings leaders Argentina have been drawn into a tough-looking Pool A together with recent Hong Kong winners New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
League title contenders Ireland are in Pool C with double Olympic champions Fiji, the USA and Great Britain.
Pool B is led by France, who have reached the podium in the last three rounds, alongside South Africa, Spain and Samoa.
With less than 100 days until the Olympic Games Paris 2024 gets underway, the action in Singapore will be intense from start to finish with World Rugby’s revamped competition formula set to deliver fans even more excitement, jeopardy and entertainment.
Under the new HSBC SVNS 2024 model, seven regular-season events take place – in Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and resulting in regular season League Winners being crowned in Singapore before a ‘winner-takes-all’ Grand Final in Madrid on May 31 to June 2 that will determine the HSBC SVNS champions.
The top eight teams based on cumulative series points at the conclusion of the seventh round in Singapore will secure their place in the ‘winner takes all’ Grand Final in Madrid.
To view SVNS 2024 standings: CLICK HERE!!
One team that will be hoping to conclude the Singapore leg on a good note is the South African Sevens side.
Given the BlitzBoks’ performances so far in the World Series, a top-four finish would be difficult to obtain.
Their form this season will result in a finish outside the top six on the log when the series winners will be confirmed at the National Stadium on Sunday.
However current head coach Philip Snyman, who captained the BlitzBoks in a golden era where HSBC SVNS titles and Olympic and Commonwealth Games podium finishes, remains optimistic.
He believes that with some selection changes and more time with the squad, the season can still be rescued.
“We have a couple of experienced campaigners back in Siviwe Soyizwapi, Dylan Sage and Rosko Specman, while the inclusion of Tiaan Pretorius and Tristan Leyds will add some exciting game-breaking abilities,” said Snyman.
“But what excites me the most is the starting line-up that was retained from Hong Kong, where we topped the pool and made the quarterfinals.
“I am confident that the new players coming in, vastly experienced and skilful as they are, will add to the skill set we already have in the core group. I don’t think our goal to top the pool and then make it into at least the top four is unrealistic.”
The Blitzboks face Spain, Samoa and France in their pool, three teams Snyman feels are capable of beating the best, as they have proved during the very competitive 2024 series.
“All three will be tough opponents, but for now, we are just focusing on Spain in our first game on Friday,” he said.
“They have been playing very well lately and will provide a good challenge to our new-look squad. We are not going to look past this first game – we only play France on Saturday morning. For tomorrow, Spain is our main goal, and once that is done, we will look at Samoa as the next opponent.”
Snyman also points to a longer play in the season.
“We want to use this opportunity in Singapore to get much-needed momentum and confidence to go into the next two big tournaments for us, the Grand Finale in Madrid at the end of the month and then the Olympic repechage in Monaco in June.
“If we can get going here in Singapore, as I believe we can, we will go to Madrid and Monaco with some form and Paris 2024 can become a realistic goal.”
Schedule
(Kick-off is local time – GMT plus eight hours)
Friday, May 3
Men:
Fiji v USA – 13.14
Ireland v Great Britain – 13.36
South Africa v Spain – 13.58
France v Samoa – 14.20
Australia v Argentina – 14.42
New Zealand v Canada – 15.04
Fiji v Great Britain – 18.30
Ireland v USA – 18.54
South Africa v Samoa – 19.18
France v Spain – 19.50
Australia v Canada 20.14
New Zealand v Argentina – 20.32
Women:
France v Japan – 11.00
USA v RSA – 11.22
Canada v Ireland – 11.44
New Zealand v Spain – 12.06
Fiji v Great Britain – 12.28
Australia v Brazil – 12.50
France v South Africa – 16.10
USA v Japan – 16.32
Canada v Spain – 16.54
New Zealand v Ireland – 17.21
Fiji v Brazil – 17.43
Australia v Great Britain – 18.05
Saturday, May 4
Men:
USA v Great Britain – 13.15
Ireland v Fiji – 13.37
Spain v Samoa – 13.59
France v South Africa 14.24
Argenitina v Canada – 14.48
New Zeaalnd v Australia – 15.41
Women:
Japan v South Africa – 11.00
USA v France – 11.22
Ireland v Spain – 11.44
New Zealand v Canada – 12.06
Great Britain v Brazil – 12.28
Australia v Fiji – 12.50
*Play-offs start at 15.41
Source: SA Rugby
