The standout matches across the Women’s HSBC SVNS Series regular season

As the HSBC SVNS breaks for the next month, the gap gives fans a chance to look back on an incredible regular season of the competition, filled with outstanding clashes and athletic brilliance.

Concluding our two-part series, RugbyPass gives our picks for the best matches of each of the six legs of the 2025-26 HSBC SVNS World Series, finishing with the women’s competition.

While New Zealand have triumphed and is the team to beat in the finals, teams across the competition continued to deliver surprises galore throughout the year. With 240 matches to choose from, let’s jump in!

Dubai: New Zealand 29-14 Australia (Final)

The match that set the stage for New Zealand’s dominance of the regular season.

Coming into the tournament, Australia had a stranglehold on the Dubai leg of the SVNS, winning the past five consecutive tournaments.

However, led by a dominant display from Jorja Miller, the Black Ferns scored the first four tries and kept the Aussies scoreless in the first half, breaking the drought and winning their first tournament in the UAE since 2019.

Cape Town: Australia 34-7 USA (Semi Final)

To say Australia were on a mission in South Africa was an understatement.

Fresh off losing the Dubai SVNS and with their pride dented, the Aussies were ruthless in the Cape, dispatching France and Japan and overcoming a determined Canada to top the pool.

However, their demolition of a talented USA side in the semi-final showcased the best that SVNS rugby has to offer, with Maddison Levi scoring four tries. The side would go on to defeat New Zealand 26-12 in the final, their sole leg win of the regular season.

Singapore: Canada 24-19 USA (Third-place playoff)

In a year where the Trans-Tasman rivalry dominated the women’s competition, one of the less celebrated fixtures were the brilliant contests between Northern American rivals the USA and Canada.

As New Zealand powered away for their second title of the year, the Americans and Canadians battled out an extra-time thriller for third place, as the US came back from 19-5 down at halftime to be all square at the final bell.

With the first team to score winning, it would be the ever-reliable Olivia Apps who stepped up to hand Canada third place, and their best finish of the year.

Perth: France 24-12 Canada (Women’s Pool B)

As New Zealand continued their dominance with a big win over Australia in the final, Perth proved a pivotal moment for the French women’s side, landing their second bronze finish of the year.

Up against a Canadian team fresh off a bronze medal finish in Singapore, the French scored four tries to two, dominating the first half and pulling away in the closing stages, with Alycia Christiaens bagging a double.

Despite going on to finish fourth overall in the regular season, the result suggests strong signs are ahead for French women’s rugby, both in the longer and shorter formats of the game.

Vancouver: USA 35-21 France (Third-place playoff) 

In the final fortnight of the regular season, the USA came home with a wet sail to clinch bronze in this year’s competition, asking plenty of questions of the likes of Australia and New Zealand.

While not getting to the final, their victory over France showed how much talent they have to offer, with Sammy Sullivan and Kaylen Thomas bagging doubles, the latter showing why she has become one of the most regarded names in the circuit.

New York: New Zealand 22-21 Australia (Final)

There were many moments of brilliance from the chasing pack this season, but when it came to the contest for top dog, it was always between the Trans-Tasman rivals.

New Zealand came into New York having won the last three legs of the tournament, with Singapore and Perth landing big grand final wins over their Aussie rivals.

However, Australia flew out of the blocks in New York thanks to the Levi sisters, overcoming an early Kiwi try to lead at halftime 14-5, and opening up a 16-point margin in the second half.

Cue a stunning fightback from the defending champions, with three tries and a conversion that proved enough to snatch victory.

It was a result that encapsulated New Zealand’s dominance of this competition, and that their closest rivals will have to produce something special to down them when the finals get underway next month in Hong Kong.