Fierce SVNS rivalries renewed as Dubai Sevens pools revealed

One of the fiercest rivalries in HSBC SVNS Series history will be renewed at the season-opening Dubai Sevens, with the All Blacks Sevens and Fiji drawn in Pool B ahead of the first event of the 2027 season on November 28 to 29.

New Zealand and Fiji are joined in the group by Paris Olympics gold medallists France, who ended last season with an unforgettable win on home soil. Les Bleus Sevens took out their home event at SVNS Bordeaux by beating the All Blacks Sevens 14-5 in the decider.

But even with that result, France finished the SVNS World Championship seventh overall on the final standings. South Africa and New Zealand claimed the top two spots, with Spain earning a place on the figurative podium as well.

Spain have improved drastically over recent seasons, emerging as a genuine SVNS powerhouse. Pol Pla and Manu Moreno made history in 2025 by becoming the first Spaniards to be named in the Men’s Sevens Dream Team.

Prolific try-scorer Jeremy Trevitchik was rewarded with a place in the Men’s SVNS Dream Team in partnership with HSBC after the 2026 season. Trevithick was constantly scoring tries, even when results didn’t go Spain’s way throughout the season.

Pool B is shaping up as a fascinating start to the season, and it’s the same story in the other group, with South Africa headlining Pool A. The Blitzboks are coming off a dream SVNS Series, which saw them take out the League and World Championship titles.

South Africa will renew a rivalry of their own against Australia, who have tasted success multiple times against the Boks over the last couple of seasons. But the Aussies will face a bogey team of their own, with Argentina the third side in the group.

The USA are back in the top division of men’s sevens, following Lucas Lacamp’s dramatic match-winner against Fiji at SVNS Bordeaux. Lacamp’s try completed a remarkable comeback, which saw Kenya miss out on top-flight SVNS.

Dubai is the first stop of a familiar SVNS schedule, with the circuit then heading to Cape Town before the New Year. Singapore, Perth, Vancouver and New York will host regular season events, before the World Championship heads to the same three cities as last season.

The fan favourite Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens kicks off the World Championship on April 9-11, before the series heads to Valladolid on May 21-23. Bordeaux rounds things off on May 28-30, one year out from the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Dubai Sevens Men’s Pools

Pool A: South Africa, Australia, Argentina, the USA

Pool B: New Zealand, Spain, Fiji, France

Dubai Sevens Women’s Pools

Pool A: Australia, the USA, France, Spain

Pool B: New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Fiji