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'Pretty special': All Blacks Sevens standout reflects on Dubai double
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If you’re New Zealand Rugby, Tomasi Cama, Cory Sweeney, or anyone in and around these Kiwi Sevens teams, you couldn’t have imagined a better start to the HSBC SVNS Series in 2025-26.
Both the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens sides have opened up their respective campaigns with victories over rivals Australia, to win the first leg of the SVNS Series.
For Sweeney’s side, they put a disappointing defeat to the USA in pool play behind them, to push on and beat their longtime rivals, 29-14, at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai.
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The ever-present Jorja Miller was a standout, while captain and Black Ferns halfback Risi Pouri-Lane showed her class throughout the Dubai tournament and in the final against Australia.
Kelsey Teneti beat a couple of defenders to score an important try in the final, while breakdown pressure and a big hit from Blues and Black Ferns winger Katelyn Vaha’akolo meant the strong Australian side was unable to get back in the game.
Miller, who was named the player of the final, admits that the Dubai leg of the SVNS Series is her favourite.
“It means everything. Dubai is probably the favourite stop of the series. To get a win over a strong Australian side, I’m so proud of the girls,” Miller said on the host broadcast.
Pouri-Lane explains that the Australian team, whom they often meet in the series finals, pushed them once again in Dubai.
“We knew it was never going to be easy, and the history behind the legacy of the Black Ferns Sevens, the depth of the Aussie sevens. They’ve got so much talent and continue to rise, and push us.”
For the All Blacks Sevens’ 26-22 victory over Australia, experienced campaigner Brady Rush was named player of the final after a brilliant performance, combined with the final try to beat Fiji in the semi-final earlier on in day two.
All Blacks Sevens speedster Jayden Keelan burst through a gap in the Australian defence to score the try that sealed the game, giving Cama’s side their first Series victory since Singapore in May 2024.
Rush, who has been a constant in the All Blacks Sevens side in recent years, told the Sevens broadcast that he’s just a kid who’s living his dream.
“I’m pretty stoked. It’s obviously been a while. I’m pretty happy to get it done for our captain, Tone, his 50th tournament.
“Same old, we come out, play rugby. Living the dream, bro. It’s pretty special, cool as.”
For Tone Ng Shiu, he’s immensely proud of the group after a long and hard pre-season.
“So speechless, proud as. We had a tough pre-season leading into this and the boys dug deep,” the All Blacks Sevens captain told the broadcast on his 50th HSBC SVNS Series tournament.
The next HSBC SVNS Series tournament is next weekend in Cape Town, South Africa.
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