HSBC SVNS: Argentina rebound in Cape Town after Dubai setback
Wallaroos, Black Ferns Sevens, and Blitzboks remain unbeaten on a dramatic opening day of HSBC SVNS action in Cape Town, while Argentina head into a semi-final match after finishing eighth in the desert the previous weekend.
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In the men’s category, newly crowned Dubai champions New Zealand and finalists Australia fell short of the semi-finals in Cape Town as the revamped HSBC SVNS format proved punishing for the squads.
Cape Town defending champions South Africa, by contrast, cruised into the last four, winning all three of their pool games to set up a Cup final against France on Sunday.
In the opposite half of the bracket, a sharper Spain were edged out of the semifinals on points difference after a late try to a refreshed Argentina gifted the South Americans a crucial bonus point, allowing them to top the pool and secure a quarter-final against Fiji.
France, meanwhile, did enough to finish second in their pool, setting up last season’s Grand Final runners-up for another chance in the minor-places playoffs.
In the women’s division, Dubai finalists New Zealand and Australia appear headed for a head-to-head showdown in a final for the second time in as many HSBC SVNS events, with both teams undefeated on the opening day in Cape Town.
Jorja Miller surpassed Maddison Levi in the season’s try-scoring rankings with a hat-trick in the final Pool A match, helping the Black Ferns Sevens to a perfect three-win day and the top spot, earning a semi-final against France.
Miller now has 11 tries this season, one more than Levi as finals day looms on Sunday.
Levi enjoyed a relatively quieter day by her standards, crossing three times. Australia, who have never lost in Cape Town, swept past France, Canada, and Japan to reach the semi-finals, where they will meet the United States on Sunday."
