Five standout performers from Dubai SVNS

HSBC SVNS is back and it has never looked quite so good on our television screens.

Last weekend Dubai was the playground for the world’s best rugby sevens athletes as New Zealand’s men’s and women’s sides claimed silverware and an early lead on the table.

It was the first time in several months that some of these players got to strut their stuff. And some of them really made an impact.

Here are five standout performers from last weekend’s Dubai SVNS…

Jorja Miller (New Zealand)

At this point, are we even surprised by Jorja Miller’s consistent excellence?

In Dubai the reigning Women’s Sevens Player of the Year was in frankly terrifying form. Two months after her exploits with the Black Ferns at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, in which time she was nominated for Women’s 15s Player of the Year and Breakthrough Player of the year, there was no sign of fatigue or a single misstep from the 21-year-old.

It took her just 15 seconds to make an impact in the tournament. That is all before the countless line breaks and tackles completed over two days in the UAE.

Those performances made Miller the undisputed choice of RugbyPass journalists for women’s MVP.

Akuila Rokolisoa (New Zealand)

For five years now Akuila Rokolisoa has been at the heart of the All Black Sevens attack and was at his absolute best.

The flyer’s efforts helped his team claim their first title since the 2023/24 season.

Perhaps his finest individual performance came in the semi-final against Fiji. Not only did Rokolisoa score a try in the contest but knocked over two conversions too.

A further try in the final against Australia underlined the 30-year-old’s efforts.

It was the perfect start to a season in which the All Blacks desperately want to not only win a World Series, but potentially Grand Finals victories too.

Brady Rush (New Zealand)

Day 2 of Dubai may have been the finest performance of Brady Rush’s All Blacks career to date.

His performance in the final was nothing short of astonishing as the 26-year-old pulled off a defensive masterclass and desperately tried to find the holes for his teammates to attack.

Those powerful performances saw him earn Player of the Match in the final against Australia and has teed him up perfectly for more success over the rest of the season.

Maddison Levi (Australia)

Since Maddison Levi was a teenager we knew about the talent she had at her fingertips. And every week she seems to remind us of it.

As Australia came into this season there was an expectation that success will follow the gold jersey throughout the season.

That was certainly the case when Levi scored two tries in a 31-7 win over Japan to start the weekend.

Younger sister, Teagan, enjoyed a dominant tournament too and is expected to be a real game-driver for Tim Walsh’s side this season.

Dietrich Roache (Australia)

Dietrich Roache arrived into 2025/26 after he missed last season with injury. He has begun to make up for lost time.

Every single day the 24-year-old was a leading light for Australia. As a playmaker he was unflappable, found soft shoulders with ease and provided all the razzle dazzle we were accustomed to in 2024.

Already a two-time Olympian, the reliability of Roache could be significant in any hopes that Liam Barry’s team have of Series success next year.

There is little doubt that Roache will be frustrated with having had a limited impact on the final against New Zealand, but this weekend in Cape Town provides a new opportunity.