The verdict on every men’s team after 2026 SVNS World Championship

The 2026 HSBC SVNS World Championship has come to an end, with the twelve teams across the men’s and women’s tournaments breaking for the next few months before preparations begin for 2026-27.

For some, the break will be brief, as several key stars make their way to the Rugby Premier League in India where they will ply their trade for the remainder of June.

For others, the opportunity to play in domestic leagues or the Nations Championship also awaits, as the inaugural season of the new look international tournament gets underway.

To sign off the season for good, RugbyPass takes a final look at the twelve teams that took part in the World Championship and what looms ahead as they prepare for next year.

First up, the men.

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South Africa

Back-to-back champions. A dominant season from start to finish. If there is any team in either the men’s or women’s competition that finishes the year with their stocks risen the most, it is the Blitzboks.

Unlike last year, which saw the Blitzboks finish in fourth in the regular season before coming from behind to be crowned champions in Los Angeles, the defending champions grabbed the tournament by the scruff of the neck, winning five of the eight tournaments this year.

What was even more impressive was the blending of their squad, with a solid base of exciting talent being well complimented by a new generation of arrivals, with six debutants arriving across the last year.

All signs point to a secure future for South Africa to maintain their form going forward, and they will definitely be in the conversation for a potential three-peat if they hit the ground running.

New Zealand

While New Zealand did finish with the silver in the World Championship, it ultimately proved an underperforming year for the All Black 7s.

The side certainly had their moments, hitting the ground running in Dubai and backing it up with a bronze finish in Singapore, but their form in Vancouver and New York stopped them from scaling the heights the team could reach.

The side is still young, with a group of players set to hit their pinnacle in the next two years, and this year did see them produce some exciting finds, such as King Maxwell and Frank Vaenuku. A strong finish in Bordeaux should give the side confidence for next year.

Spain

Taking the bronze in the World Championship, it was the end-of-season form for the Spanish that should give fans optimism the side can soar higher.

While not making semifinals in the first four tournaments, a runner up finish in Vancouver proved a watershed moment, though not enough to see them climb higher than seventh in the regular season table.

The side showed up at the business end when the World Championship came around, and there is plenty of talent in the Spanish system that could turn into a side that can challenge for a title, especially if built around the likes of Pol Pla and Jeremy Trevithick.

Argentina

With several players moving into Super Rugby Americas and a new-look side taking the field, Argentina was always going to have to work hard to replicate their success from last year.

Consistency proved the key challenge for Los Pumas 7s as a result, finishing sixth in the regular season, and ending the year finishing in ninth in Bordeaux.

However, the side made the podium on four occasions this year, twice during the World Championship. All they need is time together, but there is a good team there that can return the South Americans to the top of the table.

Australia 

Head coach Liam Barry had to hit the ground running with a very young side, and similar to Argentina, inconsistency proved their biggest challenge.

Yet, despite that, the Aussie 7s will be ending the year with their stocks firmly risen, because this year showed how high their ceiling is, regularly proving a thorn in the side of the Blitzboks and dominating the pool stages.

While managing knockout rugby is something the side still needs to perfect, the win in Valladolid during the World Championship and their third place finish on the regular season table suggests the men in gold are one of the danger teams to watch for next year.

Fiji

The World Championship was the only real blemish for the Flying Fijians this year, the side being the only team in the men’s competition to achieve a podium finish in all six legs of the regular season, including a top-placed finish in Singapore.

While the Fijians did finish higher in the World Championship this year than in the grand final last year in Los Angeles, managing the end of the season will be something head coach Osea Kolinisau will be looking to address.

The good news is that he has identified the three key areas – the breakdown, decision making and discipline – where Fiji needs to improve. Should they address that, the islanders will prove a hard team to overcome.

France

Barring their astounding top-placed finish at home in Bordeaux and a runner up finish in Singapore, this year proved a tough one for the Les Bleus 7s to navigate.

Boasting one of the younger squads on the circuit, the French also had to interchange and grapple with injury a lot this year, with 15 of the 25 players selected playing four tournaments or less across the year.

When the side was settled, however, the glimpses were promising, and delivering a home win to round out the year will be a massive shot in the arm the side can take forward into next year.

United States

United States came into the World Championship with the inaugural SVNS 2 title, but arguably flew under the radar after a disappointing showing in Hong Kong China, with much of the chat focused on Kenya.

The Eagles built slowly, however, replicating glimpses of the form they showed in Montevideo, before exceeding that in a well-executed weekend in Bordeaux.

Their inclusion in the World Series has come at a critical time as the USA looks to build it’s rugby footprint towards 2031, and the men joining the women in the World Series will make a big difference. Now, the focus turns to staying there.

Kenya

Kenya showed in 2026 that they have what it takes to succeed in the World Series. On their day can beat anyone, as evidenced by their thrilling quarterfinal clash against the Blitzboks in Hong Kong China.

Despite a decent SVNS 2 campaign and a strong start in Hong Kong China, the side fell away in Bordeaux to Great Britain and Germany, with those two matches, combined with the USA’s surge, ultimately costing them a spot in the World Series.

The good news is that the team should be favourites for the SVNS 2 title next year, and should they claim that, they will be in an even better position to challenge for the World Series.

Great Britain

The only side to be relegated from the World Series, it’s fair to call this year a tough one for the home nations.

It’s a shame, because at their best the side did show glimpses of enormous potential, with Finley Lloyd-Gilmour one of the best finds and attacking players across the entire circuit.

The benefit is the side will have the chance to reset in SVNS 2 next year, and a handy injection of experience proved to have a positive impact in Bordeaux, which could serve as a way forward to get the side back to the World Series.

Germany

Despite not making the World Series, 2026 has been a hugely successful year in general for German rugby, following in the footsteps of their XVs side that defeated Romania earlier this year.

Marking the first time the side had played at the highest level of sevens rugby since being invited to the World Series for the COVID-19 affected 2021 iteration, to return there marked a significant step forward for the German seven’s program.

Their focus will likely be on trying to win a SVNS 2 title in the short-term, their victory in Nairobi showed enough to suggest they have the current squad to achieve that feat.

Uruguay

The Uruguayans have a really exciting crop of younger players coming through their pathways, with experience proving their biggest hurdle in the World Championship this year.

While finishing last on the table, it was ultimately a year of substantial growth, the side building nicely throughout SVNS 2 to qualify for the World Championship.

Uruguay will be better off for the experience overall, meaning the only way is up for the 2027 SVNS 2 tournament and beyond.