Kelsey Teneti surges up RugbyPass SVNS MVP standings after Perth

RugbyPass SVNS Series writers will review each tournament this season with their MVP votes. Finn Morton, Ben Smith, Joe Harvey and Lachlan Grey weigh in with 3-2-1 votes towards the RugbyPass Men’s and Women’s SVNS Series MVP leaderboard.

Kelsey Teneti polled full votes after HSBC SVNS Perth, with the Player of the Final moving up the leaderboard into second place. Teneti starred as New Zealand claimed their first-ever title at the Western Australia event, with MVP-leader Jorja Miller impressing as well.

Miller held a remarkable 12-vote lead over try-scoring machine Maddison Levi after the third stop of the 2025/26 season in Singapore, while Australia co-captain Isabella Nasser rounded out the podium in third with 11 votes.

But there’s been a seismic change in the race for RugbyPass MVP honours, with Kelsey Teneti rising from fourth-place into second. Teneti had five votes after three tournaments but added 12 to that tally as the clear standout from SVNS Perth.

Heidi Dennis and Risi Pouri-Lane traded tries during the first half of Sunday’s Cup Final at HBF Park, before Teneti helped the Black Ferns Sevens take over. Teneti struck first in the final play of the first term, delivering a powerful fend on Teagan Levi en route to the try line.

New Zealand took a hard-fought five-point lead into the half-time huddle, and they build on that advantage a couple of minutes into the second term. Teneti raced away for a decisive score in the 10^th minute, allowing Black Ferns Sevens fans to dream of a historic title.

Katelyn Vahaakolo and Alena Saili completed the dominant display, as New Zealand ran away with a 29-7 victory. Teneti was awarded Player of the Final honours and the 22-year-old was visibly emotional when receiving the award, “I’ve never received something like this before.”

“It’s more than just a game for our whanau back home. We carry our whanau and our country on our shoulders,” Teneti said post-game.

“To go back-to-back (after winning in Singapore) really means a lot.”

Teneti led the way as a prolific try-scorer throughout the event, with the Player of the Final marking the New Zealander’s best tournament in a black jersey to date. Miller and Pouri-Lane also received votes after New Zealand’s run to glory.

Australia co-captain Madison Ashby and playmaker Tia Hinds are newcomers to the MVP standings, but there’s a clear front-runner at the top. Miller has broken clear in the race to be crowned Player of the Year, 13 votes ahead of Teneti after four events.

Perth was the fourth stop of the season, with another two tournaments left in SVNS 1 before the new-look World Championships. All eight teams from the first division will compete with four sides out of SVNS 2 to be named the overall SVNS Series champions.

Next up, SVNS Vancouver will be held at BC Place on March 7 to 8.

RugbyPass SVNS Series MVP 3-2-1 votes – Perth

Finn Morton

Men: Viwa Naduvalo (Fiji), Rayn Oosthuizen (South Africa), Ricardo Duarttee (South Africa)

Women: Kelsey Teneti (New Zealand), Jorja Miller (New Zealand), Madison Ashby (Australia)

Joe Harvey

Men: Ricardo Duarttee (South Africa), Terio Veilawa (Fiji), Ben Dowling (Australia)

Women: Kelsey Teneti (New Zealand), Risi Pouri-Lane (New Zealand), Tia Hinds (Australia)

Ben Smith

Men: Ryan Oosthuizen (South Africa), Viwa Naduvalo (Fiji), Terio Veilawa (Fiji)

Women: Kelsey Teneti (New Zealand), Risi Pouri-Lane (New Zealand), Madison Ashby (Australia)

Lachlan Grey

Men: Ryan Oosthuizen (South Africa), Viwa Naduvalo (Fiji), Henry Hutchison (Australia)

Women: Kelsey Teneti (New Zealand), Jorja Miller (New Zealand), Madison Ashby (Australia)

RugbyPass Women’s SVNS Series MVP leaderboard

Jorja Miller (New Zealand) – 30 votes

Kelsey Teneti (New Zealand) – 17 votes

Maddison Levi (Australia) – 14 votes

Isabella Nasser (Australia) – 11 votes

Jazmin Felix-Hotham (New Zealand), Olivia Apps (Canada), Risi Pouri-Lane (New Zealand)  – 4 votes

Teagan Levi (Australia – 3 votes

Mahina Paul (New Zealand) – 2 votes

Hanako Utsumi (Japan), Reapi Ulunisau (Fiji), Maya Stewart (Australia), Tia Hinds (Australia)  – 1 vote

RugbyPass Men’s SVNS Series MVP leaderboard

Viwa Naduvalo (Fiji) – 19 votes

Shilton van Wyk (South Africa), Luciano Gonzalez (Argentina), Ryan Oosthuizen (South Africa) – 9 votes

Akuila Rokolisoa (New Zealand), Terio Veilawa (Fiji) – 8 votes

Brady Rush (New Zealand) – 6 votes

Dietrich Roache (Australia), Paulin Riva (France), Ricardo Duarttee – 4 votes

Donovan Don (South Africa), Wallace Charlie (Australia) – 3 votes

Nacani Boginisoko (Fiji), Kele Lasaqa (New Zealand) – 2 votes

Pilipo Bukayaro (Fiji), Ryan Oosthuizen (South Africa), Marcos Moneta (Argentina), Andy Timo (France), Rob Rush (New Zealand), Ben Dowling (Australia), Henry Hutchison (Australia) – 1 vote