Seven Nations Championship stars who got their start in SVNS

The Nations Championship has hit the ground running with an exciting opening three weeks of action across the world, and the tournament now takes a break before the northern hemisphere series gets underway in November.

While the global calendar has been shaken up, what is easier to forget is how many of the big stars of the last few weeks, established names in their national jerseys, actually got their start in the HSBC SVNS Series.

Following on the footsteps of our series during the Nations Championship that recognised the latest stars to cross over from the world circuit, RugbyPass gives you seven of the biggest stars in World Rugby who got their start in the shorter format of the game.

Dylan Pietsch – Australia

An established member of the Wallabies squad since his 2024 debut against Wales, the 15th indigenous man to put on the gold jersey has achieved a lot in his 11 Tests so far – defeating the British & Irish Lions in a jersey he designed, as well England at Twickenham and South Africa at Ellis Park.

It’s easy to forget that he, in fact, has spent most of his career in the Aussie 7s side, making 87 appearances across four years and helping set up the team for success, departing the year before the side would win its first ever World Series title.

Cheslin Kolbe – South Africa

Playing in the Springboks opener this year against England, Cheslin Kolbe has enjoyed a career in XVs few stars have equalled, winning two World Cups across his 51 caps.

The Springbok speedster also has silverware in the shorter format too, making 30 appearances for the Blitzboks and scoring 113 points in that time – finishing twice as a runner-up in the HSBC SVNS Series, and earning a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Rodrigo Isgró – Argentina

A bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a 2022 South American Games gold medalist, this Los Puma winger enjoyed a successful career in the HSBC SVNS Series, featuring at a time where the Argentine 7s program saw rapid improvement on the park.

He has since gone on to flourish in PREM Rugby for Harlequins, making his international debut in 2023 and earning 17 caps at the time of writing, including scoring a try in Argentina’s famous come-from-behind win over Scotland in the 2025 Autumn Nations Series.

Leroy Carter – New Zealand

Earning his seventh cap for the All Blacks in their 47-17 win over Italy earlier this month, Leroy Carter built upon a distinguished career in sevens, bringing that success to XVs, having gotten to two grand finals for Super Rugby side the Chiefs.

Making 116 appearances and scoring 265 points in just two years for the All Black 7s, Carter picked up a HSBC SVNS Series title for his efforts, as well as a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Darcy Graham – Scotland

Jumping up to the northern hemisphere, Darcy Graham featured in Scotland’s two wins over Argentina and Fiji respectively this month, the 57-capped star proving a handy weapon, both in the starting side and off the bench.

Making 49 appearances for the Scotland 7s and scoring 155 points in his two seasons, the shorter format proved to get the best out of the winger fresh off his time in the U20s side, proving critical in his development as he went to success in the XVs format for both Edinburgh and his national side.

Hugo Keenan – Ireland

Featuring in the Ireland sevens side that achieved a team-best finish as runners-up in the 2023-24 World Series, Hugo Keenan appeared in nearly 20 tournaments, including the 2024 Madrid Grand final, featuring in the 2024 Paris Olympics squad.

Balancing this with national duties since his XVs debut in 2020, the 48-capped Irish international has enjoyed a strong career in the longer format, earning three caps for the British & Irish Lions, and being part of the famous 2022 side to win a series in New Zealand.

Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang – France

Finishing with a recent convert, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang earned two caps in July, scoring a double on debut in France’s famous win over the Wallabies in Brisbane and showcasing his attacking best that has been on display for Pau over the last three years.

Also being included in France’s 2026 Six Nations triumph despite not taking the field, Grandidier-Nkanang’s career has been filled with success despite its brevity.

Playing for two seasons in the French sevens, he set a national record at the 2023 Hong Kong Sevens, scoring 11 tries in a single weekend. In 2024, he capped off a colossal year, being part of the French side that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and being nominated for the 2024 World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year.

Following his efforts in the 2026 Nations Championship, all signs are pointing to an equally successful tenure in the famous Les Bleus jersey.