Where the SVNS Series Sits as LA Approaches

04.02.2025LA 7s & LAI, Int'l News

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Where are we in the SVNS World Championships and requalification?

Let's take a look for the men.

Argentina's third win in a row has the Pumas in excellent position and it was pointed out by USA Head Coach Simon Amor that the most experienced teams, overall, are the ones doing the best in the SVNS Standings, led by a highly-experienced Argentina side.

With one tournament left before the LA Sevens, the eight teams to play for the Championship are almost confirmed; Great Britain only needs to show up to ensure they are at least 8th.

Meanwhile, Argentina hasn't clinched the #1 spot but Fiji has to outperform them by six spots, which means if Argentina finishes 6th or better they are the #1 seed.

Your top eight, then, are: Argentina, Fiji, Spain, South Africa, France, Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. New Zealand's 7th-place spot right now is probably the biggest shock of the season.

But ... it's all up for grabs after that. The LA Sevens will be a winner-take-all championship tournament among those eight teams. Any team can win the title.

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Requalification

Fans of the USA will be assured, now, that a top eight finish isn't in the cards for the Eagles. In fact, their 3rd 12th-place finish for the season means they are 12 out of 12, joining Ireland, Uruguay, and Kenya in the bottom four of the SVNS Standings.

However, there's a chance for redemption in LA. The LA Sevens isn't just the World Championship, it's also the requalification tournament. The teams finishing 9th-through-12th in the SVNS World Series, along with the top four teams trying to get into the World Series will play in LA for places back in the Big Dance.

The USA is still chasing wins. Photo by Zach Franzen / World Rugby.

So we know the Lions, Teros, Eagles, and ... Irish will be there. Who else? Well the final Challenger Series tournament is in Krakow, Poland April 11-12. Eight teams are in competition for those top four spots—confirmed through points standings. In Pool A are Chile, Germany, Samoa, and Tonga. In Pool B are Canada, Japan, Madagascar, and Portugal.

There were 12 teams trying to qualify, but the bottom four were dropped off after the first two tournaments in South Africa.

As you can see in the table to the right, Canada and Germany are in the best position to get to LA. Madagascar and Tonga have to be lights out, Japan too. Samoa, Chile, and Portugal will all be watching each other as they fight for those other two spots.

With Chile and Samoa in the same pool, and assuming Germany holds on to their strong form, the game between those two could decide their fate.

So the teams that finish top four in these standings (20 points for a tournament win, 18 for 2nd, 16 for 3rd, etc.) will join USA, Kenya, Uruguay, and Ireland in LA.

Then the top four from that event at Dignity Health Sports Park will be in the 2025-26 SVNS Series. So USA fans have a LOT to cheer for when they see their team. This is actually a crucial period for the team, a crucial tournament, and it's in the USA. So they will need all the support they can get.

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Where the SVNS Series Sits as LA Approaches

Requalification

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