HSBC SVNS 2025 Season Sees 90+ Debutantes in Action On Day 1 Of Emirates Dubai 7s 2024

The Japanese women opened the new SVNS season and did so in some style scoring the first try and the first win, putting a new-look Canada team (who had won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics) with a big 40-5 win.

In the second game, Japan struggled against a very powerful NZ side who went on to win all three pool games and are in the title contention once again.

In the final pool game, the Japanese also made unforced errors and let Brazil back into the game twice with poorly missed tackles but were still holding on to a slender lead before Brazil scored after the hooter to win 17-12. Luckily for Sakura 7s, the loss was not enough to deny them a first-ever Emirates Dubai 7s Cup quarterfinal qualification.

Mei Ohtani, one of only a handful of Olympians in the squad told us; “The level is really good on the SVNS Series and we played well against Canada but NZ was very physical and too strong so we struggled to contain them – they are a well-drilled team. Our new team is looking forward to the challenge and we know we have to face teams at a good level but we have good support and good players coming through.”

• Japan 40-5 Canada
• Japan 12-36 NZ
• Japan 12-17 Brazil

The Japanese did enough to reach the Cup QF in Dubai for the first time and will face GB on Sunday.

Chinese Women Struggle On Season Opener

Photo Credit: World Rugby

The Chinese Women’s team arrived with some high expectations as they opened their account at the Emirates Dubai 7s on day 1 but the realities of playing some of the best teams on the planet brought those expectations down to earth on Saturday. The side opened to a humbling 52-0 loss at the hands of the four-time consecutive winners in Dubai, Australia, but it was the manner in which they were swept aside which was a surprise.

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year 2024 Maddison Levi scored a hattrick in the win as the young Chinese squad, which surprisingly left out a number of seasoned campaigners who helped them reach the SVNS Series, struggled in the UAE sun. Maddi Levi would go on to score 9 tries on the opening day!

The second game started with redemption as the Chinese flew into a 21-0 lead against Ireland, but that was the last point they scored as Ireland stormed back with 31 unanswered points of their own. Again there were uncharacteristic missed tackles, dropped balls and a lack of cohesion as the side faltered on the big stage.

A final pool game win, one which started with the Chinese still capable of making the Cup quarterfinals if they won big, saw them scrape through past Fiji but at least it was the win they had strived for.

Captain Yan Meiling told us; “For a lot of the girls, it’s their first time on the HSBC SVNS Series as we have a young team with a lot of new players on board. The players were a bit nervous today, and we didn’t play to the best of our ability, but game by game I felt we were finding our groove and the younger players showed improvement.

For me, I know how hard we have worked to get here and this might just be my last series before I retire, so I appreciate every moment and want us to play to the best of our abilities.”

• China 0-52 Australia
• China 21-31 Ireland
• China 15-14 Fiji

China will face Fiji again on Sunday for the 9/10th SF.

You can follow all of the results and fixtures here.

Emirates Dubai 7s 2024 Cup Quarterfinals

Photo Credit: World Rugby

• Women’s quarter-finals: Great Britain v Japan, Australia v Canada, New Zealand v Ireland, USA v France
• Men’s quarter-finals: Great Britain v Spain, South Africa v New Zealand, Fiji v France, Argentina v Australia

Emirates Dubai 7s 2024 News

• Asian Teams To Keep An Eye On – Emirates Dubai 7s 2024.
• Emirates Dubai 7s 2024 – Fan Guide To Everything That’s Happening.
• Teams Ready For A New SVNS Season At Emirates Dubai Sevens 2024 – Host Of New Stars To Debut.
• Which Sevens Rugby Players Left Post-2024 Olympics.