Five Women’s Rugby World Cup stars set to light up SVNS this season

At the end of November the new HSBC SVNS season will get underway when the world descends on Dubai.

Among those players will be plenty of athletes just two months removed from representing their country at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.

Here are five players set to light up the world stage again when seven-a-side rugby returns…

Asia Hogan-Rochester (Canada)

As impact goes Asia Hogan-Rochester’s efforts for Canada at the World Cup is right up there.

Heading into the tournament the 26-year-old had just three caps in 15-a-side rugby to her name but quickly became a relied-upon source of firepower by Kévin Rouet as the North Americans finished as runners-up to England’s Red Roses.

At the tournament the Olympic silver medallist scored five tries, beat 22 defenders and carried the ball just shy of 500 metres.

A return to the sevens circuit will allow Hogan-Rochester to display the attributes that have made her one of the most elusive players in the shortened format of the game.

She has electric speed. A 60m personal best of 7.88. And a clear knack for finding the whitewash.

Last season Canada finished third overall. This year you have to back Jocelyn Barrieau’s side to have the desire to go at least one step further.

Jorja Miller (New Zealand)

At just 21 Jorja Miller is already an Olympic gold medallist, a Rugby World Cup Sevens runner-up and a Women’s Rugby World Cup bronze medallist.

So it was easy to see why there was excitement about the prodigy turned superstar making her Black Ferns debut in XVs earlier this year. She offered immediate impact and saw her efforts rewarded with nominations for both the Breakthrough Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards by World Rugby.

While ultimately not handed either at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, it was a hallmark of the forward’s class. Miller is currently undergoing recovery after a thumb injury and may not be available for Dubai and Cape Town.

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Sariah Ibarra (USA)

At the World Cup sevens starlet Sariah Ibarra was the USA Women’s Eagles’ youngest player.

Now aged 20 the Southern California native has already packed plenty of rugby into her life. After she picked up a rugby ball for the first time aged nine, she even spent time in New Zealand to aid her development and played for the NZRU Sevens U18 side.

Upon her return to US shores Ibarra earned selections for a Women’s Falcons development tour and then the senior sevens and 15s set-ups.

After making her 15-a-side debut against Japan she became a key figure for Emilie Bydwell’s sevens side in Dubai and was a key figure all year on the Series.

Selected by Sione Fukofuka for this year’s World Cup, she made accomplished appearances against England and Samoa.

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (New Zealand)

Teenage sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee was chief headline stealer across the Women’s Rugby World Cup. And with good reason.

The 19-year-old scored a staggering 11 tries in England as the Black Ferns claimed third overall at the tournament.

It capped off an impressive breakthrough year for the back three player who helped Blues Women to their second Super Rugby Aupiki title and ultimately locked up the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year gong for her efforts.

Now she looks to take part in HSBC SVNS for the first time. Selected by the Black Ferns Sevens for the fourth edition of the Ignite7 tournament in Tauranga.

Already the likes of Rennee Holmes, Kyle Preston, Caleb Tangitau, Fehi Fineanganofo, Jazmin Felix-Hothman, Mahina Paul and Manaia Nuku come through its ranks.

Playing alongside her World Cup teammates Katelyn Vahaakolo and Sylvia Brunt, the next step in Sorensen-McGee’s development could be on the sevens field with a view to win gold at LA28.

Verenaisi Ditavutu (Fiji)

There was an immediate impact from Verenaisi Ditavutu as soon as the 26-year-old was installed in the midfield at the World Cup.

Missing for Fiji‘s opener against Canada, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist was a starter against Scotland and Wales, the latter being a landmark 28-25 win for the Fijiana in their final outing of the tournament.

Ditavutu displayed all the things we have become accustomed to seeing from her on the SVNS circuit. This included beating 12 defenders beaten, a turnover won, four clean breaks and 76 metres made from 17 carries.

Now we can expect the 26-year-old to be doing much of the same for Richard Walker in the season to come.