SVNS Women’s Stars Looking Forward To Hong Kong And Singapore SVNS 2024

The new look HSBC SVNS 2024 features seven regular-season events with the women playing in Singapore for the first time in May 2024 (alongside the men) and all sides returning to the iconic Hong Kong Sevens in April 2024.

The venues this season include Dubai & Cape Town (both completed), Perth, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore – before the Grand Final in Madrid. With two legs completed, we heard from some of the women’s SVNS stars about their excitement about returning to Asia in 2024.

Feature photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

Victorious back-to-back SVNS champion Australian playmaker and captain Charlotte Caslick said of returning to Hong Kong and playing in Singapore for the first time (even though she has been an HSBC ambassador there twice).

“Hong Kong is iconic. And when you think of Sevens everyone thinks of the Hong Kong Sevens. So to be able to play in that next year is awesome, but we fell short in the finals last time around so we’d love to win a Hong Kong Sevens title – that would be on everyone’s bucket list.

And then Singapore – it’s a great stadium to play in and it’s hot, which really suits our team. So yeah, we’re looking forward to getting there.”

Michaela Blyde, the New Zealand women’s star who scored her 200th sevens try in Cape Town, was happy to be returning to Hong Kong and excited about the prospect of Singapore. “Hong Kong is the home of Sevens. It’s really special to play there and to bring the women’s game of Sevens to Hong Kong,” she said.

Blyde added that the NZ team trains in a hot climate back in New Zealand around the time of the Asian events which suits them, “We’d like to get to a point where we don’t think about the weather too much. It’s just a matter of playing the game of rugby, no matter what elements that weather is brought to us.”

New Zealand’s Michaela Blyde takes a selfie with fans on day two of the HSBC SVNS at Cape Town Stadium on 10 December, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo credit: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby

US Women’s player Alena Olsen was impressed by the development of the game in Asia after she visited Southeast Asia earlier in 2023 with her family.

“I really love that rugby is investing in the development of the sport in Asia. I mean, it’s just exciting to be in new places, but we just need to see how this season’s gonna build as we get closer to the Olympics in 2024.”

Australian Faith Nathan was also keen on a first tournament in Singapore. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about Singapore – the crowd, that atmosphere, the people are really fun and the food’s really super!”

• Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens – 5-7 April 2024
• HSBC Singapore Sevens – 3-5 May 2024

Rugby Asia 247 would like to thank The Capetonian Hotel for a wonderful stay in Cape Town while covering the SVNS.

HSBC Rugby SVNS 2023-2024

• What Have The Players Been Saying At Cape Town SVNS 2023
• Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2024.
• Emirates Match Official Panels – HSBC SVNS 2023-2024.
• HSBC SVNS – 2023-2024 Explained.