April 11, 2025- The final round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 kicked off in thrilling fashion in Krakow, as six teams confirmed their place in the highly anticipated HSBC SVNS Play-Off, set to take place in Los Angeles on May 3-4.
After an intense day of pool matches, Argentina, Kenya, and South Africa (Women) and Canada, Germany, and Portugal (Men) emerged as the first teams to mathematically secure their spot in the Play-Offs, thanks to their cumulative points tally across all three rounds of the Challenger Series.
Kenya set the tone early in Pool action with an emphatic victory over Belgium, booking their ticket to Los Angeles in their opening match. Argentina and South Africa followed suit, each sealing qualification during the second round of matches.
In one of the most dramatic encounters of the day, hosts Poland threatened to derail Argentina’s Las Yaguaretes with two early tries. However, the South Americans responded swiftly, crossing the try line four times in quick succession to clinch a crucial win and their place in the Play-Offs.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Springbok Women delivered a statement performance against Czechia, scoring seven tries in a dominant second-round finale.
Argentina’s Grace Okulu expressed her elation post-match:
“It has been really amazing. The girls have worked really hard. We fell short last year and it was very painful, but now that we have secured our way to LA, it really means a lot to us.”
Canada maintained their perfect record on Day 1, overcoming a spirited Madagascar in a closely fought opener, before notching comfortable wins over Japan and Portugal. Their unbeaten run ensured an early qualification.
Despite falling short against Canada in their final game of the day, Portugal had already done enough to guarantee a Play-Off spot with strong performances against Japan and Madagascar.
Team captain Fabio Conceicao shared his thoughts:
“The feeling is amazing. We won this game and we are going to LA and fighting for the Series next season. The next goal is to finish in the top four and go on to win the tournament here in Krakow.”
Germany rounded out the day’s qualifiers with a determined victory over Chile, confirming their place in Los Angeles and keeping their dream alive of joining the HSBC SVNS series.
With six teams already through, two more Play-Off spots remain up for grabs on the final day of the Challenger Series in Krakow, scheduled for Saturday, April 12. The action promises to be just as intense, with teams vying for a shot at elite-level competition in the upcoming season.
Source: World Rubgy
