USA still alive in race for top eight after stunning day at SVNS Bordeaux

There’s been a twist in the HSBC SVNS World Championship top eight race in Bordeaux, with the USA keeping their hopes alive with an unbeaten 2-0 record. Those wins have seen the USA already qualify for the quarter-finals, before playing Uruguay on Saturday morning. 

Fiji and New Zealand are the other unbeaten men’s sides ahead of day two at Bordeaux’s Stade Atlantique. World Championship leaders South Africa suffered a surprise loss to Great Britain before bouncing back with a clinical performance against Kenya. 

But the story of the day might just be the USA, who went into the season finale ranked second last on the overall standings. The USA are still mathematically a chance of a top eight finish, as they look to avoid the dreaded bottom four on the ladder. 

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Those teams ranked in the final four will be left to fight their way back up from the second-tier next season. Six men’s teams have already done enough before Bordeaux to retain core status for the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS 1 campaign. 

Lucas Lacamp was the hero for the USA in a thriller against SVNS Valladolid winners Australia, who went into this event placed third on the ladder. Lacamp scored against a six-man Aussie side with time up on the clock, as the USA prevailed 19-17. 

That followed a five-point win over Spain earlier on day one, with Lacamp touching down for a double in the upset. Orrin Bizer and David Still also got on the scoresheet, while replacement Will Chevalier produced some match-defining brilliance on the other side of the ball. 

“Really got to give testament to all the boys out there. We really gave it all. We’ve been through a lot of bad stuff… it’s been really tough,” Lacamp told RugbyPass in Bordeaux after the thriller against Australia. 

“Last week in times we showed our brilliance, we showed how good we could be, then we let ourselves down with those little mistakes. 

“That performance right there, I mean yeah, it’s not perfect, it’s never going to be perfect, but now it’s adapting our game of play, our game of style. 

“Australia, they won last week. We’re 11th. We showed heart, we showed what we’re about. Honestly, I couldn’t be prouder there. That was amazing.” 

USA coach Zack Test had just addressed the players after the win over the Australians, with players standing shoulder to shoulder in a huddle. Lacamp then walked over, still smilingand tired after an enthralling contest. 

“Those are the moments that are really exciting,” Lacamp said, when asked about the final play of the game. Australia had just gone down to six men after a yellow card, and it took the USA three minutes to find their way to the try line. 

The USA now sit top of Pool B before facing fellow qualifiers out of SVNS 2 Uruguay. Spain beat Uruguay late on day one, which has seen them draw level with the Aussies on four competition points, before those two teams go head-to-head on Saturday. 

In Pool A, Scotland’s all-time leading try-scorer Darcy Graham made an immediate impact on the SVNS World Championship against the Blitzboks. Graham scored a try and made a crucial stop in defence, as Great Britain won 19-14 in extra-time. 

“I was bloody nervous coming into this game. I wasn’t expecting to go the full 14 minutes then plus extra-time. The lungs are going, the legs are heavy,” Graham told RugbyPass in Bordeaux. 

“I thought the bloke had done me on the outside and I felt like I was stuck in mud and it was just that last dip diving to get him. It was a big moment.  

“For me it’s just about having fun. It’s been kind of almost a frustrating season at Edinburgh, not probably have as much ball,” he said.  

“I’ve just tried to do this for myself more than anything. I love playing sevens, I love getting the ball, running with it and just getting the ball in hand. Honestly, I’m doing it for myself.” 

But with GB going down to Fiji 26-12 at around 8:30 pm local time, they aren’t quite through to the quarter-finals just yet. GB and the USA were in similar situations coming into the SVNS stop in Bordeaux, as they look to rise up the standings. 

Fiji are the only unbeaten side in Pool A, ahead of a blockbuster showdown with SVNS giants South Africa on day two. They were the top two sides on the regular season standings and have shared a remarkable rivalry all season. 

In Pool C, both the All Blacks Sevens will put their winning streak on the line when they meet Argentina in the final round of pool play. New Zealand secured an incredible comeback against hosts France before beating Germany later on day one.

Argentina kicked things off with a 35-19 victory against Germany, before rounding out the day with a nail-biting 22-14 defeat to the home nation. France will play Germany at 11:50 on Saturday morning, looking to secure a place in the Cup knockouts. 

Men’s HSBC SVNS Bordeaux results: Day One 

Pool A 

Fiji 31–12 Kenya 

Great Britain 19–14 South Africa 

Fiji 26–12 Great Britain 

South Africa 26–5 Kenya 

Pool B 

USA 24–19 Spain 

Australia 43–12 Uruguay 

Spain 42–17 Uruguay 

USA 19–17 Australia 

Pool C 

New Zealand 26–21 France 

Argentina 35–19 Germany 

New Zealand 33–7 Germany 

Argentina 14-22 France