Aussie crowned MVP as Blue Angels team to beat in Seimei Women’s Sevens

The sevens rugby action across the world, with the weekend seeing several regional tournaments produce key results in Asia and Africa.

Starting off in Japan, Nagato Blue Angels won the third round of the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series at Mikuni World Stadium in Kitakyushu, blowing away the Mie Pearls 47-0 in the final.

Coming into the tournament as the defending champions, the Blue Angels have also welcomed a strong contingent of international talent in Aussie 7s stars Mackenzie Davis, Amahlia Hala and Kahli Henwood, Fiji’s Ana Naimasi, Chinese Olympian Chen Keyi, and Brazil’s star Bianca Silva.

Complimenting local stars in Japan’s Yume Hirano, Mei Ohtani and Sakurako Yazaki, the intake of new stars has proven effective.

While several sides across the 12-team tournament also boast significant international experience, the Blue Angels have proven a step above the likes of their biggest rivals in the Pearls and Nippon University, opening up a six point lead at the top of the table following Kitakyushu.

Mackenzie Davis has enjoyed a particularly strong tournament for the Blue Angels, winning the 2026 Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Most Valuable Player award.

Heavyweights Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix have climbed the table after finishing third in Kitakyushu, defeating the Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars 17-7.

While the Blue Angels will be the favourites, the job is still not done with the top eight teams of the tournament competing in a final winner-takes-all finals series next month.

The bottom four ranked teams will also play in a promotion-relegation play off with the top four sides of the second division Challenger Tournament, with the top four sides earning qualification for the 2027 Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens.

The Grand Final series will be played at the Daiwa House Premist Dome in Sapporo, which is set to take place on August 9th.

KCB targeting series sweep of National Sevens Circuit follow Prinsloo title

Current Nations 7s Circuit champions KCB have kicked off their 2026 title-defending campaign drawing first blood at the Prinsloo Sevens at the Nakuru Athletic Club in Kenya.

One of the most hotly contested sevens tournaments in Africa, KCB, who featured several Kenya 7s stars George Ooro and dual international; Brian Wavinya, had to work for it in the final, defeating Kenya Cup champions Kabras Sugar 19-12 in a thrilling contest.

The win proved apt, with KCB having gone down in the final at the Prinsloo Sevens in 2025.

Other results saw the women’s division one side Mwamba prevail 19-0 over Kiambaa, while the men’s second division saw Zetech University romp to victory over Kabarak University, winning 46-0 in the final.

Speaking after the match though, KCB captain and 2026 Prinsloo Sevens Player of the Tournament, Elvis Olukusi is aiming high to complete a series sweep of the circuit, as the tournament shift to Kisumu for the Dala 7s, being played at Mamboleo Stadium this weekend.

“They [Kabras Sugar] were worthwhile opponents, so we needed to do what our game plan says,” Olukusi said to local news site CapitalFM.

“It has reflected on the final results. The last time we won was in 2017. Last year we were in the finals, so this one, we had to take it.

“We need to tick our boxes, the ones we have not ticked here. That is connection, defence and conversion rates.

“I am very happy and excited to go to Dala. The boys are capable of winning all their legs.”