An exhilarating day of international rugby sevens ended with China women and Uruguay men crowned World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 Champions following victories in the third and final rounds in Krakow, Poland and Munich, Germany respectively.

There was high drama and emotion on and off the pitch as teams fought to secure a top-four place in the standings that secured their participation at the new HSBC SVNS Play Off promotion and relegation competition in Madrid on 31 May – 2 June.

VIEW STANDINGS >>

Uruguay won the final round of the men’s World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Munich as well as the overall series title and will now go to Madrid for the HSBC SVNS Play-Off in Madrid, together with fellow qualifiers Kenya, Chile and Germany.

Los Teros Sevens were the dominant team throughout the three-tournament Challenger series, backing up their win on home soil in Montevideo in March with their second title of the year to finish top of the standings on 56 points.

Uruguay beat Germany 21-19 in a pulsating final, while Hong Kong China, who just missed out on the top four, had the consolation of the bronze medal in Munich.

Kenya failed to make the semi-finals on this occasion but a fifth-place finish was enough for them to finish as runners-up to Uruguay in the final standings.

The pools for the HSBC SVNS Play Off in Madrid see Uruguay and Germany face the USA and Canada in Pool A, while Kenya and Chile join Spain and Samoa in Pool B.

Uruguay captain Diego Ardao said: “I feel very proud of the team, of our staff, and of our friends that stayed at home but were in the team. We trained very hard. We worked for it and we achieved our goals, that was being champions here and achieving qualification for Madrid. So I’m extremely happy and mostly as I said, I’m very proud of the team.

“Our first aim was to be in Madrid. Now that we are in Madrid, we want to be in those play off finals with whatever team is opposite us, and we need that victory. We need to win that game, so that we can go again in the sevens series. It would be confirmation that we are a great nation in rugby. We had already been there last year. It was a pity that we had to be relegated, but those were the rules and as I said, we need to confirm that we are a great nation of rugby, so we want to be there in the SVNS again.”

Kenya’s Vincent Onyala said: “We are definitely happy, because with beating Uganda now, we have sealed our top four. Now we just wait to see what Madrid has for us. Hopefully we’ll get there and build on our little moments then see ourselves back in the HSBC SVNS Series.”

“It will be big. Our programme will grow. The boys that are coming in will experience what it means to play with the best and we’ll build on from there.”

Germany’s Makonnen Amekuedi said: “Qualifying for Madrid is all we’ve been working for these last few months, since September. Everybody worked hard, it was a team effort and we deserved it.”

READ FULL MEN’S REPORT >>

China completed their near-perfect women’s World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 campaign, beating hosts Poland 36-0 in the Krakow final to claim a third successive tournament victory.

The Chinese had secured their place in the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament by qualifying for the quarter-finals at the end of day one, and they will be joined in Madrid by Argentina, Belgium and Poland.

A large section of those inside Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium for Sunday’s final hoped they would see a home title, but China showed once again why they have been the form team of the 2024 Challenger.

China had lost only one of their 17 matches in Dubai, Montevideo and Krakow ahead of the showpiece match

Despite their final loss, second place was enough to lift Poland into fourth place in the overall standings, ensuring they will travel to Madrid in a fortnight.

Due to their significantly inferior points difference compared to Poland, Kenya needed to win the bronze final in Krakow with a big score to have any hope of claiming the final ticket to Madrid.

However Belgium were determined to claim a second successive bronze medal and overcame Kenya by a 26-7 scoreline.

The pools for the HSBC SVNS Play Offs in Madrid are confirmed as China and Poland together with Japan and Spain in Pool A, while Argentina and Belgium will face Brazil and South Africa in Pool B.

READ FULL WOMEN’S REPORT >>

China Assistant Coach Rocky Khan said: “It’s an amazing feeling. The girls have been awesome throughout the whole series. Even training sessions back home every day they put a lot of effort in. They want to work hard and they want to get better.

“I am just so proud of how they have performed over the three tournaments and even to pull form here this weekend and to win the Challenger series is amazing and going to Madrid is a massive opportunity and hopefully we can make a good shot of it. I’m just so proud and we will enjoy the moment for now.”

GORDON TIETJENS PREDICTS BRIGHT FUTURE FOR CHINA >>

Argentina player Mayra Genghini on qualifying for Madrid said: “We were training since October to qualify for Madrid and this was a dream of ours. And we are very happy to achieve this.”

Belgium’s Cécile Blondiau said: “It’s really exciting to be going to Madrid and we are happy to show the world that we can play rugby and women can play rugby in Belgium too. We are really excited about this event (Madrid), it was our goal this year, so I am just so happy for the team and for the work the girls have done at home and we just can’t wait for the rest of the season.”

VIEW ALL SCORES >>

There was more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams in with a chance of gaining promotion to HSBC SVNS 2025 via the new play off tournament.

The 2024 HSBC SVNS season will reach a dramatic conclusion in Madrid as the top eight teams play in a ‘winner takes all’ Grand Final to become SVNS Champions, while the bottom four HSBC SVNS teams will play-off against the top four teams from the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger to qualify for the 2025 HSBC SVNS series. See the explainer video for more detail.

VIEW MADRID EXPLAINER VIDEO >>

World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer Nigel Cass said: “The quality, talent, drama and excitement on show today was a great demonstration of the continuing growth and evolution of rugby sevens around the globe.

“The new competition model meant there was more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger, with four men’s and four women’s teams having the opportunity to gain promotion to HSBC SVNS 2025 through the new promotion and relegation tournament in Madrid, and it certainly created some thrilling moments on and off the pitch this weekend.

“Congratulations to China and Uruguay on becoming champions and to all the teams that have qualified for the HSBC SVNS Play Off in Madrid and given themselves an opportunity to join the top level of international rugby sevens competition next year.

“Our thanks and gratitude to all of our hosts in Dubai, Montevideo, Munich and Krakow, our title partners HSBC and all the participating teams for making the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 such an exciting spectacle from start to finish.”

The Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens for the short format of the game which 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 bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Sevens Challenger kicked off with combined men’s and women’s event at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January, which was won by Kenya men and China women. The combined second round took place in Montevideo, Uruguay on 8-10 March where the hosts won the men’s event and China claimed the women’s title. The third and final round saw standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.

Fans around the globe can watch HSBC SVNS action on rugbypass.tv where there is no domestic broadcaster.

For tickets and further information on the HSBC SVNS Grand Final and Play Off in Madrid on 31 May to 2 June visit www.svns.com

With thanks to World Rugby

• Women’s standings leaders China secure place at HSBC SVNS Play Off in Madrid
• Quarter-final line-ups confirmed after thrilling first day of World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger final round in Munich and Krakow
• Men’s quarter-finals: Kenya v Germany, Hong Kong China v Tonga, Uruguay v Georgia, Uganda v Chile
• Women’s quarter-finals: Argentina v Kenya, Poland v Czechia, China v Uganda, Paraguay v Belgium
• Finals day begins at 11:00 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday in both locations as the race to become Challenger champions reaches its conclusion
• The top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualify for the new HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation play-off competition in Madrid on 31 May – 2 June
• Fans around the globe can watch the action live on rugbypass.tv

A thrilling first day of international rugby sevens action in the third and final round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 saw women’s standings leaders China secure their place at the HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation play off competition in Madrid on 31 May to 2 June.

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams in with a chance of gaining promotion to HSBC SVNS 2025 via the new play off tournament.

VIEW SEVENS CHALLENGER STANDINGS AND NEWS >>

The quarter-final line-ups were confirmed following Saturday’s pool play in the women’s competition in Krakow, Poland, and at the men’s tournament in Munich, Germany.

In the women’s quarter-finals Argentina play Kenya, hosts Poland face Czechia, leaders China against Uganda and Paraguay take on Belgium.

The men’s quarter-finals see Kenya face hosts Germany, Hong Kong China against Tonga, leaders Uruguay versus Georgia and Uganda take on Chile.

The quarter-finals begin at 11:00 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday in both locations, before the semi-finals at 14:06 and the cup final at 17:23.

VIEW POOLS, SCORES AND FIXTURES >>

China’s women came into the tournament leading the standings after winning the first rounds in Dubai and Montevideo and were on top form once more with three wins from three ensuring they topped pool A and secured their place in the HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation play-off competition in Madrid.

Three more spots remain for the taking tomorrow as the action continues at Henryk Rayman’s Municipal Stadium.

Czechia had a slow start with a 24-12 loss against China, however, they went on to have one of the biggest ranking jumps today, with convincing victories against Hong Kong China and Thailand taking them to second place in Pool A.

In pool B, Argentina cruised to the top of the board, convincingly winning all three of their matches against Paraguay, Papua New Gunia and Uganda and will face Kenya tomorrow who placed third today.

In pool C, hosts Poland started the day with a tough encounter with a physical Kenya and very nearly took the victory but a missed conversion in the dying seconds saw them miss out. But they bounced back quickly with an impressive 55-0 win against Mexico and wrapped up the day’s proceedings with an exciting showdown that went into extra time culminating with a 24-19 victory over Belgium in front of a jubilant home crowd in Krakow.

After qualifying for Madrid, China’s Head Coach Lu Zhuan commented: “We joined the circuit in 2018 and it was a pity that we didn’t make it the last time but we’re really looking forward to the opportunity to try to join the world circuit this time round.

“We’ve always worked hard throughout the season and we always bring joy into our training but at the same time we work super hard and we hope we bring that to the game.

“I think the players will really appreciate the time that they will experience in Madrid and I’m sure they will perform at their best.”

GORDON TIETJENS PREDICTS BRIGHT FUTURE FOR CHINA >>

Argentina’s Micaela Pallero said: “We feel really good, we came for the three matches today and we went step by step and we are already set in our minds for tomorrow.

“Our strength has been our defence and we weren’t as strong as we wanted today, so we are going to work on that and see the videos and analyse what happened today and we’re going to focus on having a stronger defence for tomorrow.”

The top five teams in the men’s standings all secured safe passage to Sunday’s quarter-finals in at Dantestadion in Munich.

Kenya were cheered on by a huge contingent of noisy and colourful fans and they did not disappoint them with a hat-trick of victories over Japan, Portugal and Chile to top pool C.

Hosts Germany and Hong Kong China are locked in a battle for the all important fourth place in the standings and were equal on points heading in to Munich, meaning whoever places higher this weekend will clinch their place at the HSBC SVNS play off in Madrid.

Hong Kong China continued the impressive form that took them all the way to the final last time out in Montevideo as they overcame Uganda, Tonga and Mexico to finish top of pool B with a positive points difference of 108.

Meanwhile Germany has to settle for second position in pool A as they went down 24-21 to standings leaders Uruguay in a pulsating last match of the day in Munich. However the hosts earlier wins over Georgia and Papua New Guinea saw them safely through to the quarter-finals where they will face a mouthwatering clash with fan favourites Kenya.

Hong Kong China player Hugo Stiles said: “We’re starting to play the brand of rugby we know we’re about. We’ve got some really talented players who, ball in space, can look really dangerous. It’s my job to put those boys in space and then get on the end of it, which I managed to do a couple of times.

“The coaches are pretty happy. We’re quite a momentum team so building into the tournament like that is exactly what we want to do. It’s very much a game by game mentality and we do know we’ve got to finish on top of Germany because it looks like the top three have found their space in Madrid.

“It would be huge [getting onto the SVNS circuit]. It’s quite an interesting setup now with the bottom four playing the top four and then it all comes down to the quarter final, but we fancy our chances. We’ve just got to make it happen this weekend.

Uruguay’s James McCubbin said: “We are qualified for the quarterfinals. It’s the objective we had today, so we’re very happy that we achieved our goal today. We trained very, very hard these six weeks since the last tournament in Montevideo. And watching the results of our training, it’s quite nice, and we are finding our game.

“Our objective is to achieve first place, so we know the pressure, we are familiar with it, we like it, so we embrace it. Well, that’s our objective [getting back on the HSBC SVNS circuit]. Last year it was very tough to descend, and play again in the Challenger, but it’s our opportunity to go back to the series, and we are working every day for that goal, so we have that aim and we are doing everything to be there.”

On the prospect of playing at the Atletico Madrid stadium he added: “I like it, there are a lot of feelings that go with being in that stadium, so big with such great history, so it’s a big responsibility for each player that is on that field, playing and having this Uruguayan shirt. So it’s nice.”

Germany captain John Dawe said: “The home crowd is a massive boost. It’s amazing to have a home tournament. I know the union has worked really, really hard to get this going, so we’re really proud and we’re very excited to be here. The Germans are absolutely amazing. The population in the [German] rugby community is small, but when they come out they come out in force, and they really push us, which is amazing.”

The Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens for the short format of the game which 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 bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Sevens Challenger kicked off with combined men’s and women’s event at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January, which was won by Kenya men and China women. The combined second round took place in Montevideo, Uruguay on 8-10 March where the hosts won the men’s event and China claimed the women’s title. The third and final round sees standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.

Fans around the globe can watch the action on rugbypass.tv.

With thanks to World Rugby

• Third and final round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 takes place in Munich, Germany and Krakow, Poland on 18-19 May
• The top four placed men’s and women’s teams will secure a place in the new HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation play-off competition in Madrid on 31 May-2 June
• Uruguay men and China women lead the standings after first two rounds in Dubai and Montevideo
• The 12-team competition format replicates the Olympic Games with three pools of four teams each
• All six World Rugby regions represented in competition designed to boost the global development of rugby sevens
• Fans around the globe can watch the action on rugbypass.tv

The international rugby sevens action taking place on 18-19 May will see the top four placed men’s and women’s teams will secure a place in the new HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation play-off competition in Madrid on 31 May-2 June.

VIEW POOLS AND FIXTURES >>

Uruguay men and China women lead the Challenger standings after two rounds in Dubai and Montevideo as the race to secure an all-important top four place reaches its climax this weekend.

Uruguay lead the men’s standings on 36 points following victory on home soil in Montevideo to add to their bronze medal at the opening round in Dubai. Kenya were winners in Dubai and are in second place also on 36 points, ahead of Chile on 32 points and Germany on 26 points, who are narrowly ahead of Hong Kong China on points difference with all to play for in the final round in Munich.

China have proved to be the dominant team in the women’s competition with a perfect 40 points after claiming gold in the first two rounds. Argentina are in second position on 34 points following silver in Montevideo and bronze in Dubai. Belgium and Uganda are third and fourth respectively, both on 28 points followed by Kenya on 24 points and Poland on 22 points who will both be looking to push for a top-four place in Krakow.

At the official launch, Argentina women’s captain Sofia Gonzalez said: “The team is really looking forward to the tournament this weekend and we have high expectations. I am very excited and really looking forward to taking to the field here in Krakow, representing Argentina and obviously with our main ambition of finishing amongst the top four and qualifying for Madrid.”

Poland captain Natalia Pamieta also spoke at the launch event in Krakow, saying: “We are very excited to play again in Krakow. In the last two years for European Championship and European Games we had our friends and families in the stands and with this crowd here in Krakow, we always feel like we have the eighth player in the team.

“This HSBC Challenger Series is crucial for us because we still have chance to make our dreams come true and I really hope that for us it is not the last tournament in the series this year and we will go to Madrid in two weeks’ time. This is also a step on the way to the Olympics and we will keep preparing to be part of Paris 2024, so there a lot at stake for us this weekend and we are really looking forward for our first game on Saturday.”

VIEW SEVENS CHALLENGER STANDINGS AND NEWS >>

The pool draw for the Challenger final round took place at Hong Kong Stadium prior to the HSBC SVNS 2024 event last month and fans can look forward to some exciting match-ups this weekend.

MEN’S PREVIEW – GERMANY >>

MEN’S PREVIEW – HONG KONG CHINA >>

Men’s leaders Uruguay are drawn in Pool A alongside hosts Germany, Georgia and Papua New Guinea. Hong Kong China will be looking to continue the fine form that saw them claim silver in Montevideo and will face Uganda, Tonga and Mexico in Pool B. Meanwhile Kenya, Chile, Portugal and Japan make up a tough looking Pool C.

WOMEN’S PRVIEW – CHINA >>

WOMEN’S PREVIEW – ARGENTINA >>

In the women’s event leaders China will face Thailand, Hong Kong China and Czechia in Pool A. Second placed Argentina are in Pool B together with Uganda, Paraguay and Papua New Guinea. Pool C sees Belgium, Poland, Kenya and Mexico drawn together.

Uruguay men’s captain Diego Ardao said: “We are here to secure our spot in Madrid but before thinking about Madrid we are focused on this tournament in Munich to try to achieve the first position again keep growing our confidence so that when we get to Madrid we are at the best level mentally, physically and tactically.”

Germany men’s captain John Dawn said: “It’s really exciting to play in front of our fans in Munich this weekend and the opportunity to be able to grow rugby here and across the whole of Germany is great. It’s a high pressure tournament for us with a lot at stake but we will take every game as it comes and not look too far ahead. Rugby sevens has a massive festival culture so I would encourage everyone to come down to support us and enjoy themselves this weekend.”

Hong Kong China men’s captain Seb Ryan said: “Last time out in Montevideo we really grew throughout the tournament, so we’re hoping to do the same here. It’s a straight shoot-out for that vital fourth position in Madrid between ourselves and the home team Germany so it doesn’t get much more exciting than that. It would mean everything to us to get on to HSBC SVNS 2025.”

All teams qualified for the Challenger 2024 through their respective regional competitions, while three men’s teams – Kenya, Japan and Uruguay – will showcase their talents on the biggest stage of all at the Olympic Games in Paris where the rugby sevens kicks off on 24 July, 2024.

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and semi-finals leading to the third place and gold medal matches.

The Sevens Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens for the short format of the game which 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 2024 edition of the Challenger competition kicked off with combined men’s and women’s event at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January, which was won by Kenya men and China women. The combined second round took place in Montevideo, Uruguay on 8-10 March and the third and final round of the 2024 competition will see standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.

World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer Nigel Cass said: “There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with four men’s and four women’s teams having the opportunity to gain promotion to HSBC SVNS 2025 through the new promotion and relegation tournament in Madrid.

“The quality of competition across the first two rounds in Dubai and Montevideo has been excellent and we can expect more thrilling international rugby sevens, intense drama and end to end action in both Munich and Krakow this weekend.

“This year represents a step change for the Challenger as sevens continues to be at the forefront of rugby’s global growth strategy. Our thanks and gratitude to the event hosts, our title partner HSBC and all other stakeholders for what promises to be an enthralling weekend of rugby sevens.”

Fans around the globe can watch the action on rugbypass.tv.

Tickets for the men’s event in Munich are available here with tickets for the women’s event in Krakow available here.

With thanks to World Rugby

An exciting second day of international rugby sevens action at the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Montevideo saw the semi-finallists decided following hotly contested quarter-finals on Saturday evening.

The first men’s semi-final will be an all South American affair as hosts Uruguay face Chile, before Dubai champions Kenya take on Hong Kong, the only team who remain unbeaten in an incredibly competitive men’s tournament in Montevideo.

In a demonstration of rugby’s continuing global expansion, teams from four different continents make up the women’s semi-final line up.

China have continued their winning streak since claiming gold at the first round in Dubai and will play Uganda in the first women’s semi-final, before Argentina and Belgium take the pitch in the second semi-final hoping to maintain their unbeaten records in Montevideo.

The women’s quarter-finals saw China beat Kenya 24-7 in a repeat of the Dubai gold medal final. Uganda overcame Hong Kong China 22-17, while crowd favourites Argentina beat Poland 26-17 in a pulsating match and Belgium overpowered Thailand 17-5 to continue their winning streak in Montevideo.

The men’s quarter-final clashes saw Chile record a narrow 12-7 win over Germany before hosts Uruguay were cheered on to a 26-7 victory over Portugal. In an intense all African battle it was Dubai winners Kenya who triumphed 7-5 over Uganda before Hong Kong China saw off Tonga 26-7 in the last match of day two at Estadio Charrua

VIEW POOLS, SCORES AND FIXTURES >>

VIEW WOMEN’S SQUADS >>

VIEW MEN’S SQUADS >>

The action continues from 13:15 local time (GMT-3) on Sunday and concludes with the women’s and men’s finals at 19:05 and 19:39 respectively.

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

The Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens for the short format of the game which 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 bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Challenger kicked off with a combined men’s and women’s event at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January, followed by this weekend’s second round at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo before standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.

Fans around the globe can watch the action on rugbypass.tv.

With thanks to World Rugby

• Kenya and China were crowned men’s and women’s champions respectively at the opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Dubai
• Kenya overcame Chile 12-5 in an intense men’s final while China beat Kenya 19-5 in the women’s final
• Uruguay men and Argentina women won bronze to cap a strong tournament for South American teams
• Great demonstration of the continuing global growth of rugby sevens with no team remaining unbeaten and Africa, Asia and South America nations on the medal podium
• The Challenger provides a promotion pathway to HSBC SVNS 2025 with the top four placed men’s and women’s teams securing their place in the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid
• The Challenger continues with the second round in Montevideo on 8-10 March 2024

At the end of three days of intense, high quality competition it was Kenya men and China women who took top honours at the opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Dubai.

Kenya have been a mainstay on the HSBC SVNS and are aiming to return at the first opportunity following their relegation to the Challenger last year, and they got off to the perfect start with victory in Dubai.

They were made to work for the gold medal in a hard fought final win over Chile which finished 12-5. Earlier in the day Kenya had beaten Uruguay 21-5 in the semi-final while Chile reached the final thanks to a 15-7 win over previously unbeaten Germany.

Uruguay, who alongside Kenya will showcase their skills at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, recovered from semi-final defeat to claim the bronze medal with a 12-7 defeat of Germany.

China were the dominant force in the women’s competition and secured gold with a 19-5 win over Kenya in the final, gaining revenge for their 17-12 loss to the same opposition in Friday’s pool match.

China has earlier cruised into the final thanks to a 45-5 thrashing of Uganda in the semi-final, while Kenya saw off Argentina by 17-0 in the second semi-final. Argentina were impressive throughout the weekend and claimed the bronze thanks to a 36-10 win over Uganda.

VIEW POOLS, SCORES AND FIXTURES >>

Amid ecstatic celebrations in front of the large contingent of supporters, Kenya co-captain Tony Omondi said: “We are super happy. We knew this Challenger event in Dubai was very crucial for us to start on a high and now we must carry on with the momentum until the last tournament.”

“It was a tough final today. Chile was a tough, physical opponent so we had to match them in all aspects and it came out good for us. We must also congratulate our ladies team as well, every game they played before us gave us the inspiration, so we had to deliver and thanks to them we are going back home with two medals.”

China women’s player Chen Keyi said: “We are happy and so proud of our girls and the way we played to our standards. Kenya is a very physical team so I’m proud of our tackling and how hard we worked for each other. We hope we can keep learning, keep playing to our way and keep winning in the next tournaments.”

There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid.

World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer Nigel Cass reflected on a highly successful start to the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024: “The opening round of the Challenger in Dubai was a great advert for the increasing competitiveness and global growth of rugby sevens. With highly competitive matches throughout, no unbeaten teams and semi-finalists from four different continents, it was a great demonstration of the potential for sevens to continue to evolve and excite fans around the world on the road to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”

“I would like to thank the Dubai organisers for hosting an excellent event on and off the pitch and extend my congratulations to Kenya and China, and to all teams who contributed to such a high quality event, which has taken the Challenger to a new level of competitiveness and performance. We look forward to next round in Montevideo and to seeing which four men’s and women’s teams ultimately qualify for the SVNS promotion-relegation play-off in Madrid in June.”

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and

The Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens for the short format of the game which 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 bigger and better than ever 2024 edition of the Challenger consists of three rounds. Following the opener in Dubai the men’s and women’s teams now move on to Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo, Uruguay on 8-10 March before standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.

Fans around the globe can watch the action on rugbypass.tv.

With thanks to World Rugby

• South Africa women defeat Belgium to take one step closer towards HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series core status
• Tonga men capture title in pulsating final against Germany to lead race towards qualifying for the four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens
• Challenger Series finale set for 28-30 April at Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch
• China women and Hong Kong China men win bronze medal matches over Poland and Belgium respectively
• Winner of two-round women’s competition based on aggregate points to secure Sevens World Series entry
• Men’s competition winner based on aggregate points following second event to enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May with the winner achieving the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status

South Africa women and Tonga men took one step closer towards promotion by winning the opening tournament of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 on Saturday at Markötter Stadium.

Following three days of energy-sapping action in Stellenbosch, hosts South Africa dug deep to turn in an impressive performance in the women’s final, coming from behind to beat Belgium 17-10 in front of their home supporters.

In the men’s final, Tonga’s offensive firepower proved too strong for Germany as they scored four tries in their 26-14 victory to close out the event.

VIEW POOLS AND FIXTURES >>

With one tournament remaining in the Challenger Series, attention now shifts to the second event on 28-30 April to decide the aggregate men’s and women’s champions.

WOMEN’S DAY THREE RECAP:

Hosts South Africa scored the only try in the first semi-final to book a place in the final of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 when Simamkele Namba crossed the whitewash, beating China 5-0.

In the second women’s semi-final decider, Belgium outplayed a confident Poland team on their way to their first ever Challenger Series final. Belgium found themselves trailing 14-5 at the half-time mark against the 2022 finalists, however they managed to find another gear in the second half to edge their European rivals 24-19.

In the final, Belgium scored two quick tries in the opening four minutes against South Africa, who managed to get one back through Ayanda Malinga to trail 10-5 at half-time. But with a home ground advantage and passionate fans behind them, South Africa dug deep in the second half, scoring twice to win a hard-fought match.

VIEW WOMEN’S SQUADS >>

South Africa’s captain, Mathrin Simmers said: “I’m very happy with the performance of the girls. We started a bit slow, but we pulled through at the end of it. We were trailing at half-time but I just told them to stick to the processes, relax and focus on what we needed to do and stay in the moment.

“We have a lot of confidence going into the second leg of the tournament, but for us it’s just about going back to zero and starting all over again. We’ll go through all the processes and the systems we do in training and go into the next leg of the tournament.”

In the bronze final, China narrowly defeated Poland 14-10, while Czechia were victorious 34-10 over Thailand in the fifth place play-off. Madagascar narrowly defeated Colombia 14-12 in the seventh place play-off, while Papua New Guinea defeated Paraguay 10-5 in the 11th place play-off.

The ultimate prize at stake for the tournament winners in the women’s competition, which will be decided on aggregate points over the two events, is promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2024 as the 12th and final team.

MEN’S DAY THREE RECAP:                             

Two tries from Bastian van der Bosch helped Germany become the first nation to reach the men’s final at this year’s World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. A try from Belgium’s Martin Marenne in the second half proved to be not enough for the Belgians as they went down 19-5 to the Germans.

Tonga made sure of their place in the men’s final by beating Hong Kong China 33-0 in the second men’s semi-final. Hong Kong China were punished for their lack of discipline which saw them receive two yellow cards to give Tonga the upper hand throughout the match.

Later in the day, Belgium and Hong Kong China went head-to-head in a thrilling men’s bronze final, which was forced into extra-time with the teams tied 21-21 at full-time. It was the golden-point try from Hong Kong China’s Max Denmark in the second half of extra-time that separated the two teams to his side the win.

VIEW MEN’S SQUADS >>

In the men’s final, Tonga ran in four tries against Germany to be named champions in the opening round of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023. Soni Asi, John Tapueluelu, Kyren Taumoefolau and Tevita Manukea all scored to give the Tongans a 26-14 win over Germany.

Reflecting on their historic win, Tonga captain Sione Tupou said: “This win means the world to us. This is a reward for all the hardships that we’ve been through. This win is for the future generation in Tonga.

“The second week of the Challenger Series is going to be tough for us because now everyone will come after the champions, but we trust in the team that we have and the positive spirit that we carry.”

In the fifth place play-off, Uganda defeated Italy 19-15 while Chile blanked Brazil 41-0 in the seventh place decider. Zimbabwe defeated Papua New Guinea 40-17 for ninth place and Jamaica lost to Korea 12-5 in the 11th place play-off.

The winner of the men’s competition, which will also be decided on aggregate points over the two events, will enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May together with the teams placed 12th to 14th after 10 rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023. The winner of the play-off will achieve the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status.

POOLS CONFIRMED FOR SECOND TOURNAMENT

The second and final event of the Challenger Series is scheduled to take place on 28-30 April at the same venue in Stellenbosch, and the pools have been confirmed.

Opening tournament winners South Africa women will be looking to go for back-to-back gold and receive the coveted qualification to the Sevens World Series in 2024. They headline Pool D and are joined by Thailand, Madagascar and Paraguay.

First round finalists Belgium have been drawn against Czechia, Colombia and Papua New Guinea in Pool E, while Pool F features China, Poland, Hong Kong China and Mexico.

The men’s competition will see opening tournament champions Tonga joined by Italy, Chile and Jamaica in Pool A.

Runners-up Germany have been pitted against Uganda, Brazil and Korea in Pool B while in Pool C, Hong Kong China, Belgium, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea will battle it out for a spot in the quarter-final.

With thanks to World Rugby

• Women’s semi-final line-up: South Africa v China, Belgium v Poland
• Men’s semi-finals: Belgium v Germany, Hong Kong China v Tonga
• Finals day on Saturday sees the women’s quarter-finals start at 09:54 local time (GMT+2) and the men’s semi-finals at 10:38, with the women’s and men’s cup finals at 13:33 and 14:01 respectively
• Winner of two-part women’s competition based on aggregate points to secure Sevens World Series entry
• Men’s competition winner based on aggregate points following second event to enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May 2023 with the winner achieving the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status

The first event of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 will come to a climax on Saturday after another thrilling day of action at Markötter Stadium which saw the women’s and men’s semi-final line-ups confirmed.

In the women’s event, hosts South Africa will face China in the final four, while Belgium will take on Poland on Saturday with a spot in the cup finals up for grabs.

VIEW POOLS AND FIXTURES >>

The opening men’s semi-final at Markötter Stadium will see an all-European clash of Belgium versus Germany before Hong Kong China takes on Tonga to decide who will advance to the finals later in the day.

The second event of the Challenger Series will also take place at Markötter Stadium on 28-30 April.

WOMEN’S DAY TWO RECAP:

Day 2 of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 kicked off with a high-scoring thriller when Thailand recorded their first win of the competition in a 84-7 over PNG. That result was enough to secure Thailand passage to the quarter-final as a best third placed finisher.

Czechia were edged 7-5 by Mexico, they, however, still managed to secure second place in Pool E, which they lost 26-17 against Belgium.

China continued their fine form from Day 1 with a clinical 33-0 win over Belgium. They continued to show their class in the quarterfinal with a hat-trick of tries from Liu Xiaoqian helping the Asian team to down Colombia 32-0 for a place in the semis against hosts South Africa.

Hosts South Africa sealed their quarter-final spot with a 14-5 win over Madagascar to finish top of Group E. They were made to work hard for their last four spot by a spirited Thailand team that scored two quick tries at the start of the second half. With local fans cheering them on, South Africa came out 29-12 victors.

Poland wrapped up the women’s group stage fixtures undefeated when they emerged comfortable winners over Belgium, winning all three of their matches. They continued their winning ways in the quarter-final, with tries from Hanna Maliszewska and Ilona Zaishliuk helping them book a place in the semifinal where they will face Belgium again.

South Africa will take on China at 09:54 local time, before Belgium go up against Poland at 10:16 on the third and final day of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.

VIEW WOMEN’S SQUADS >>

The ultimate prize at stake for the tournament winners in the women’s competition, which will be decided on aggregate points over the two events, is promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2024 as the 12th and final team.

MEN’S DAY TWO RECAP:

It was all to play for in the Pool C match between Jamaica and Brazil, with the winner being guaranteed a place in the quarter-final. The men from South America went over the white line three times to win 17-12. The Brazilians then faced Hong Kong China in the last-eight, but only managed to score a single converted try against Hong Kong China’s five.

Hong Kong China will be hoping to continue their fine form when they take on a tricky Tonga side in the second men’s semi-final on the third and final day of the competition.

Tonga made it clear that they are the team to beat in the men’s competition. They went into the quarter-finals unbeaten with two wins and a draw. Kyren Taumoefolau scored two of the five tries to help Tonga past Italy in the quarter-finals.

High flying Uganda topped the overall men’s standings with another clinical win in their final group stage. Their halftime lead against Germany in the quarterfinal was not enough to keep them in the running for top spot, as they suffered a 26-14 defeat.

Belgium brought their A-Game on Day 2 of the competition. They kicked things off with a 40-21 victory over Zimbabwe to advance to the quarter-finals. They then produced arguably the biggest upset of the competition when they stunned tournament favorites Chile 21-14. That victory will see them take on Germany.

Two spots in the final are up for grabs in the men’s competition. Belgium and Germany will play in semi-final 1 at 10:30 before Hong Kong China take on Tonga at 11:00 local time.

VIEW MEN’S SQUADS >>

The winner of the men’s competition, which will also be decided on aggregate points over the two events, will enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May together with the teams placed 12th to 14th after 10 rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023. The winner of the play-off will achieve the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status.

HOW TO WATCH >>

Field A
https://tinyurl.com/WRSCS-FieldA-Week1

Field B
https://tinyurl.com/WRSCS-FieldB-Week1

With thanks to World Rugby

• Final rosters have been announced for opening event of the two-part World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 in Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Winner of women’s competition to secure Sevens World Series entry
• Men’s competition winner to enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May 2023 with the winner achieving the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status
• Play begins at 09:00 (GMT+2) on Thursday, 20 April

The captains of the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams competing at the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 in Stellenbosch over two legs on 20-22 and 28-30 April gathered on Wednesday at Gardens Rugby Club on the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain.

Three days of intense competition of the first event at Markotter Stadium will kick-off on Thursday at 09:00 local time (GMT +2) when Belgium faces Papua New Guinea and Madagascar takes on Mexico in women’s pool F and E action respectively.

VIEW POOLS AND FIXTURES >>

The ultimate prize at stake for the tournament winners in the women’s competition, which will be decided on aggregate points over the two events, is promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2024 as the 12^th and final team.

The 12-team women’s pool draw sees Poland go up against Columbia, Hong Kong China and Paraguay in Pool D.

Poland Women’s Captain, Anna Klichowska said: “Last year we lost in the final against Japan and it was really hard for the team. But I know that now we’re stronger and I hope that we can win it this time and get to the World Series. We play a really high level of rugby and I’m sure that we will be able to compete in the World Series.”

Hosts South Africa have been drawn against Madagascar, Mexico, and Czechia in Pool E.

South Africa Women’s Captain, Mathrin Simmers said: “The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series is very important for us, especially because we want to play in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and play against the best players in the world. If we win this and qualify, it will open doors for younger girls to come through and just to build women’s rugby in South Africa.”

Pool F features China, Belgium, Papua New Guinea and Thailand.

VIEW MEN’S SQAUDS >>

The Challenger Series was introduced in 2020 to boost rugby sevens’ development across the globe and provide a pathway for promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The men’s Challenger Series 2020 featured two rounds, both played in South America. Japan’s men’s team gained promotion following the inaugural pair of events and, following a year break due to the global pandemic, Japan women and Uruguay men won the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2022 to earn core status on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023.

In the men’s Challenger Series, Germany headline the men’s Pool A and are joined by Tonga, Zimbabwe and Belgium.

2022 hosts and third place finishers, Chile, will be looking to improve from last year and go for the top spot. They will take on Hong Kong China, Papua New Guinea and Italy in Pool B.

In Pool C, Uganda are joined by Korea, Jamaica and Brazil.

The winner of the men’s competition, which will also be decided on aggregate points over the two events, will enter a four-team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May 2023 together with the teams placed 12^th – 14^th after ten rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. The winner of the play-off will achieve the coveted Sevens World Series 2024 status.

Tonga Men’s Captain, Sione Tupou said: “South Africa is really beautiful and we’re very grateful to be here. Our preparation has been good and the boys are well prepared. Tonga have never played in the World Series. So for us it’s a huge opportunity for us to win this tournament so that we can also open doors to the younger generation back at home.”

VIEW WOMEN’S SQAUDS >>

Broadcast details will be announced ahead of kick off on Thursday. Rights free images are available via the World Rugby Media Zone.

With thanks to World Rugby

There was no shortage of drama, determination and scintillating skill on day one of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2022 in Santiago, Chile.

With the prize of promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 at stake, the 24 competing teams played with passion and commitment on the opening day of the three day competition at Estadio Santa Laura in view of the majestic Andes mountain range.

In the women’s tournament Kenya, Japan, Poland and Kazakhstan secured a pair of victories and will be looking ahead to Saturday’s quarter-finals.

Kazakhstan were impressive throughout, convincingly beating Colombia 22-5, and Mexico 24-5. Japan, who are looking to return to the World Series as a core team, beat Mexico 44-5 and Colombia 21-12.

Poland were the day’s top scorers with a 71-0 thrashing of Papua New Guinea in Pool E, which followed their earlier 36-5 victory over Argentina, who bounced back to beat Belgium 15-10 to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.

Kenya took charge of Pool D with a hard fought 17-15 win over China, followed by a 31-5 defeat of South Africa. China  and will face South Africa in a crucial final pool match on Saturday morning.

The men’s competition saw Tonga and Hong Kong secure their progress to Saturday’s quarter-finals by winning both of their matches against Jamaica and Zimbabwe in Pool B.

Germany are in pole position in Pool C with a perfect win record after beating Lithuania and overcoming Uganda 17-14 in a pulsating encounter thanks to a hattrick of tries from Jack Hunt.

Hosts Chile were cheered to a 24-7 victory over Papua New Guinea in the last match of the day to build upon their earlier 19-14 win over Georgia as they look sure to progress to the quarter-finals.

Chile men’s captain Joaquin Huici said: “The first game was a tough one against Georgia and it was the same against Papua New Guinea, although we managed to control the game. Tomorrow we face Korea in our last pool match, we will get some rest and focus on them.”

VIEW FULL DAY ONE REPORT >>

Play begins on Saturday 13 August at 09:28 local time (GMT-4) when Colombia and Mexico take to the pitch to kick-off an action-packed day of international rugby sevens, with the quarter-finals set to take place from 17:00 to 20:58. The all-important finals will take place on Sunday with the women at 18:47, followed by the men at 19:20.

VIEW RESULTS AND FIXTURES >>

The Challenger Series was introduced in 2020 to boost rugby sevens’ development across the globe and provide a pathway for promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The global event sees teams from all six World Rugby regions represented in a competition format that replicates the Olympic Games with three pools of four teams.

The top two from each pool along with the two best third-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals, before the semi-finals and final will decide the tournament winners on Sunday.

There is plenty of top class experience in the line-up as nine men’s teams have appeared on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series previously as invitational teams. Meanwhile China and Japan have both been core teams on the women’s Series, while another eight women’s teams have played at least once in the Series.

Five of the women’s teams and nine men’s teams competing in Chile have also qualified for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 where they will play in front of an anticipated crowd of 165,000 fans across three days in Cape Town on 9-11 September.

Fans around the world can watch every match of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series live on www.world.rugby, while in South America the action will be live streamed on ESPN’s Star+ platform.

With thanks to World Rugby

The health and safety of participating teams, tournament event staff and spectators is our highest priority. This proactive decision has been taken to help protect the global rugby community and the wider public and was taken based on the World Health Organisation and relevant public authority travel and health guidelines. The decision is fully supported by stakeholders, including unions and commercial partners.

Further details in relation to the rearrangement of the Stellenbosch women’s HSBC World Rugby Challenger Series event will be communicated in due course.