Australia And New Zealand Women’s 7s Vying For The 2024 HSBC SVNS League Title In Singapore

As Friday 3rd May see the HSBC Singapore SVNS 2024 action kick off at the National Stadium, the New Zealand women have a slight advantage over Australia on the Series log, but both teams enter the weekend with sights on lifting the 2024 HSBC SVNS League title.

We spoke with both team captains about the preparations and the expectations for the women’s series’ first trip to Singapore.

New Zealand Women’s 7s – Risi Pouri-Lane

Photo Credit: World Rugby / Mike Lee – KLC fotos – Risi Pouri-Lane

New Zealand women’s captain Risi Pouri-Lane told us mid-week, “We are not thinking too much about the table and we are focussing on ourselves and letting the results take care of themselves.”

With both sides on 106 Series points, whoever comes out on top in Singapore will lift the League trophy. Last time out in Hong Kong, there was a little blip when the NZ women lost to the French in pool play in the rain which set up a knockout game against Australia, which the Black Ferns Sevens won on the way to winning back-to-back titles in Hong Kong.

With the other major tournaments coming up after Singapore, we asked how difficult it was to prioritise these events, and Pouri-Lane told us: “We have had a plan right from the start and we had it all laid out so we have been on our own journey right from the get-go, and obviously, we didn’t start the season off the way we wanted to, but we know we have trained for moments like these.

Like that loss to France, we could have blamed the weather or anything but we adapted and got things right and by sticking to our gameplan and focussing on what works for us, hopefully, the rest will work out.”

Photo Credit: World Rugby / Mike Lee – NZ 7s in Singapore

On this first trip to Singapore, of the main things the NZ captain was looking forward to in, she said, “The history behind our men’s teams is special in Singapore and it is our first time here, so we hope to soak it all up – the crowd, the atmosphere, and the weather, and we are really looking forward to the weekend.”

She added, “and to enjoy the culture, the environment and the food which is delicious here. Hopefully, we will get a taste of more traditional food after the tournament and just play some good rugby, of course.”

Australia Women’s 7s – Madison Ashby

Photo Credit: World Rugby / Mike Lee – KLC fotos – Madison Ashby

Australia women’s captain Madison Ashby in Singapore, who debuted for Australia at the 2019 USA Women’s Sevens and is leading the team this weekend in the absence of Charlotte Caslick, was excited for the women’s teams to be in Singapore for the first time, in a season in which they and their rivals New Zealand enter this final league round vying for the HSBC SVNS League title.

The last time neither Caslick nor talisman Sharni Smale were part of an Australian women’s 7s squad was in 2018 in Kitakyushu, Japan.

“We have heard so much about this Singapore tournament from our men’s team and we can’t wait to play in the Singapore National Stadium and get among the crowd and experience the atmosphere. The fans down here at the beach have been unreal and so welcoming.”

Although Singapore will determine the HSBC SVNS League, with Madrid to come and followed by the Olympics in Paris, there have been some changes in team selections.

Asked how confident Ashby was, she said; “We do have a young squad this weekend in Singapore but I trust in their abilities and the coaches trust in their abilities, and the whole point is to get them more experience and help to build depth in our program. We need to take it game by game and know our process to get the job done.”

Photo Credit: Australia Women’s 7s – Singapore 2024

On the Olympics, Ashby said, “I am excited and the Olympics is at the heart of  our goals and building towards that and building the experience will hopefully help us lead into Paris and the Olympics 2024.”

The Australian women’s sevens team are known for their qualities on the field but they also have a strong social media presence online. Ashby told Rugby Asia 247 that the team love the film ” Crazy Rish Asians” and while in Singapore are trying to find all of the food markets from that movie, and the captain said, “If anyone has any idea where they are, please do let us know and tag us or DM us!”

The current HSBC SVNS log standings are here.

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