World Rugby has announced the shortlist for three categories of the HSBC SVNS Awards 2025 nominees: Rookie of the Year, Try of the Year, and Player of the Year. The winners will be presented at the final showdown in Los Angeles on Sunday, 4 May.
The New Zealand women and reigning men’s HSBC SVNS league title holders, the Argentina men, were crowned HSBC SVNS 2025 League Winners in Singapore in April, with the final leg to be played in LA to determine the World Championship winners and the promotion/relegation series.
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin said: “These awards celebrate the extraordinary talent, passion, and dedication that define our game. After a thrilling global series, we are proud to recognise the players and moments that have captured the spirit of rugby sevens and lit up the world stage.”
HSBC SVNS Nominees 2025
HSBC SVNS Women’s Player of the Year 2025
Thalia Costa – Brazil
The 27-year-old Brazilian has been excellent for the Yaras and notably became Brazil’s first player to reach 100 career tries on the Sevens circuit at the Perth leg of the SVNS Series. She has been a consistent participant in every tournament from Dubai to Singapore.
She is also heading to play in Japan after the Series with the Mie Pearls club. Brazil is also playing in the relegation-promotion Series in LA, and with World Rugby yet to clarify what the format is next season, we hope, regardless, fans get to see her on the global stage.
Maddison Levi – Australia
Maddison Levi was the recipient in 2024, and this season has continued to smash records. In Singapore, she became the first Australian to surpass 200 career tries and is the all-time leading try-scorer for her country. She is a social media sensation and fan favourite and scored over a third of Australia’s tries across the whole season!
Jorja Miller – New Zealand
The 21-year-old New Zealand Black Fern Sevens player will switch to 15s to try and make the Rugby World Cup 2025, and she has been one of the finds of the Series over recent years. The Black Ferns Sevens won a medal at every leg of the series, and Miller was a key cog which has led to her second nomination two years in a row. She was awarded the NZ Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year last season.
HSBC SVNS Men’s Player of the Year 2025
Luciano Gonzalez – Argentina
Luciano Gonzalez would be our shoo-in for the award and has been at times, unplayable in the Series. As the top carrier with 137 carries, he also scored his 150th try in Vancouver. The powerhouse contributed more offloads, tackles, and steals than any other Argentine and has been named Player of the Final in three of his last nine HSBC SVNS tournaments.
Marcos Moneta – Argentina
A second nomination for the Los Pumas ‘Money’ Marcos Moneta after he also won the Player of the Year accolade in 2021. He was among the series’ top scorers and ended with a total of 117 points and was a standout in their title-winning season.
Pol Pla – Spain
Pol Pla led from the front in what has been by far Spain’s best-ever Series, and they achieved third-place overall. He became the first Spaniard to reach 100 career tries in Dubai and helped his team to podium finishes all season, and has been a respected captain for the team.
HSBC SVNS Women’s Rookie of the Year
Kahli Henwood – Australia
With an Olympic debut in 2024, Henwood made her official World Series debut in Dubai in November at the start of the season.
Vika Nakacia – Fiji
Fiji’s Vika Nakacia made her debut in Dubai, and a highlight was at the Singapore SVNS with a stunning hat-trick against Great Britain. She dominated with 116 carries, the most of any player in 2024/25.
Nia Toliver – USA
Nia Tolive also made her SVNS debut in Dubai and scored a try in the USA’s opening match against Great Britain, and finished the tournament with six tries, and across her first two tournaments, scored 13 tries! She is another player who has spent time playing in Japan
HSBC SVNS Men’s Rookie of the Year
Enahemo Artaud – France
Artaud made his debut in Dubai and was an important part of the team in Cape Town, where they beat Fiji, with Enahemo Artaud nailing a difficult conversion from out wide to seal the win.
George Bose – Fiji
George Bose was in the extended squad last season but also made his debut in Dubai, and across the Series was among the top 12 tacklers.
Aden Ekanayake – Australia
Aden Ekanayake was another debutante in Dubai, and his highlight reel includes the dramatic injury-time try in the semi-final against South Africa in Perth to win the game at home.
HSBC SVNS Try of the Year – 2024/2025
Fans can now vote online for the men’s and women’s sevens Try of the Year until Thursday, 1 May 2025.
HSBC SVNS Women’s Try of the Year
- Michaela Brake New Zealand v Ireland (Vancouver)
- Heidi Dennis Australia v New Zealand (Perth)
- Minako Taniyama Japan v USA (Vancouver)
- Nia Toliver USA v Australia (Cape Town)
HSBC SVNS Men’s Try of the Year
- Simon Désert France v Fiji (Cape Town)
- Anton Legorburu Spain v New Zealand (Vancouver)
- Marcos Moneta Argentina v Australia (Hong Kong)
- Vuiviwa Naduvalo Fiji v France (Dubai)
SVNS Rugby News 2025
- Los Angeles SVNS 2025 – Pools and Format.
- DJ Forbes – This Sport I Love Is Really Special.
- HSBC Global Ambassadors Abby Gustaitis and Alicia Lucas Explain Why Kai Tak Stadium and Rugby Sevens Are So Special.
- Teams Secure Their Places for HSBC SVNS 2025 Play-off in Los Angeles.
Trending Now
The Best Social 2025 Rugby Tournaments In Asia
