SVNS World Championship: Near perfect results for NZ teams on day one in LA

The HSBC SVNS World Championship for the 2025 season got underway this morning in LA. The two New Zealand teams have each played three games, and they have come away with positive results.

It was business as usual for the Black Ferns Sevens, winning all three matches, against Great Britain, Japan, and Canada respectively.

For the All Blacks Sevens, it was a better first day than some would have predicted, winning two out of their three matches against Fiji and Australia, but being beaten by Spain.

It was Fiji who started the strongest in game one of Pool B in LA, going into halftime leading 12-0 after tries from Joji Nasova and Filipe Sauturaga.

The All Blacks Sevens were quick to bounce back in the second half, with Tone Ng Shiu breaking through the Fiji defence to go in untouched.

Veteran All Blacks Sevens player Dylan Collier was next to score for the Kiwis before North Harbour NPC standout Sofai Maka finished the game off with two minutes left in the match.

The Kiwis’ second game against Spain was one for the purists, with both teams going back and forth. Akuila Rokolisoa’s try in the first half gave the All Blacks Sevens hope, before a Juan Ramos try and conversion, sealed the game for Spain in the dying moments, 7-5.

The third and final match of the day for the All Blacks Sevens was against trans-Tasman rivals Australia, who went into the match unbeaten after two victories early on in LA.

The first half was mostly dominated by the Kiwis, scoring two quick tries through Regan Ware and Frank Vaenuku. Australia then hit back through Henry Patterson, to end the half at 14-7 to New Zealand.

Australia started the second half strongly, scoring two quick tries, alongside a yellow card for All Blacks Sevens star Ngarohi McGarvey-Black. Brady Rush then scored for the Kiwis, before the last two minutes of the game was set up for a nail-biting finish.

Australia thought they had one it at the death, but after a TMO check, the ball was held up by Rush. The final score was 21-19 to the All Blacks Sevens.

Cory Sweeney’s Black Ferns Sevens side started the tournament off in near-perfect fashion, scoring 41 points in their first match against Great Britain. Jazz Felix-Hotham scored twice, while the rest of the try scorers were spread amongst Michaela Brake, Maia Davis, Kelsey Teneti, Jorja Miller and Risi Pouri-Lane.

Great Britain scored twice in the second half, finishing the game at 41-12 to the Black Ferns Sevens.

In their second to last game of the day, the Black Ferns Sevens put 50 points on Japan, headlined by a debut try from exciting young Aupiki Blues talent, Jaymie Kolose. Sarah Hirini and Jorja Miller both bagged doubles, helping Sweeney’s side run riot on day one.

The final game of the day for the Black Ferns Sevens went relatively as expected, with the Kiwis running in two converted tries in the first half against Canada. Canada hit back late in the first half through Carissa Norsten, taking the halftime score to 12-5 to the Black Ferns.

In the second half, the Black Ferns Sevens side put the Canadian team through their paces, running in another four tries. Jazz Felix Hotham was a bundle of energy off the bench, scoring a quick double after coming off the bench in the second half. Stacey Waaka also contributed with two tries.

In Championship Pool B on the Women’s side of the draw, Australia have also gone unbeaten, beating Fiji, USA and France on day one.

The Black Ferns Sevens team will take on the 2nd place team in Championship Pool B in the semi-finals at 8 am NZT on Monday morning.

For the All Blacks Sevens, they will take on 2nd place in Championship Pool A in the semi-finals at 8:24 am NZT on Monday morning.