The six men’s teams who can still win SVNS World Championship

South Africa proved themselves as consistently the best team in men’s sevens during the back half of the HSBC SVNS Series regular season. The Blitzboks won three straight titles and carried that form into the new-look HSBC SVNS World Championship. 

Tristan Leyds was rewarded with Player of the Final honours after the Blitzboks won the fan favourite Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens for the first time. The South Africans made another final last weekend in Valladolid, Spain, but fell just shy of victory. 

Australia secured their first men’s SVNS trophy in more than 1,300 days after fighting their way back to beat South Africa 26-19 at Estadio Jose-Zorrilla. It was Henry Hutchison’s second-ever title, despite the skipper nearing the 70-tournament milestone on the Series. 

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Both South Africa and Australia remain in the race for the World Championship crown, joined by another four men’s sides. Argentina, Fiji, New Zealand and Spain will need results to go their way to claim the top prize, but it’s all to play for at Stade Atlantique this week. 

The Blitzboks have extended the gap between themselves and second on the standings, now four points clear of Los Pumas Sevens in second. South Africa will win the World Championship if they qualify for the big dance in Bordeaux on Sunday. 

If the Blitzboks finish third and Los Pumas Sevens take out the title, the World Championship race will be decided on match points differential. There are a series of tiebreakers that will be used if needed. 

It’s still possible for Argentina to secure first, but a sixth-place finish is also mathematically on the cards should they place last in northwestern France. Argentina would rise up to 54 competition points with a tournament win. 

Australia will move up to 50 competition points, if they replicate their title-winning heroics from Valladolid. But the Aussies would need South Africa and Argentina to finish the season with some poor performances. 

Fiji, Spain and New Zealand round out the top six, with those three sides all level on 26 competition points. Their best possible tally is 46, which could potentially be enough to claim the World Championship. 

But just like Australia, those three teams would need the higher-ranked sides to stumble in the season finale. If any of them have poor weekends, France and Kenya could surge up the ladder into the top five. 

The first six teams mentioned are all safe from relegation, but the same can’t be said for the Shujaa and Les Blues Sevens just yet. Those two, who are both on 14 points, can drop down to as low as 12th depending on results. 

If France or Kenya place last, every team currently lower on the ladder could potentially overtake them. That’s referring to Uruguay, Germany, the USA and Great Britain, who all can’t finish any better than seventh. 

South Africa (38): 1st / 6th 

Argentina (34): 1st / 6th 

Australia (30): 1st / 8th 

Fiji (26): 1st / 8th  

Spain (26): 1st / 8th  

New Zealand (26): 1st / 8th  

France (14): 3rd / 12th 

Kenya (14): 3rd / 12th 

Uruguay (6): 7th / 12th 

Germany (5): 7th / 12th 

USA (5): 7th / 12th 

Great Britain (4): 7th / 12th 

HSBC SVNS World Championship points explained 

1st – 20 points 

2nd – 18 

3rd – 16 

4th – 14 

5th – 12 

6th – 10 

7th – 8 

8th – 6 

9th – 4 

10th – 3 

11th – 2

12th – 1