Defending champions New Zealand edged out fierce rivals Australia 19-14 to be crowned Hong Kong Sevens women’s champions and once again reaffirm their status as the best side in the world.
South Africa produced a stunning performance to beat defending champions Argentina 35-7 in the men’s final at a raucous Kai Tak Stadium – and get a huge monkey off their back.
An eagerly-awaited women’s clash saw the Black Ferns Sevens secure a fourth straight title in Hong Kong and maintain their recent dominance over Australia on the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens.
It was another close-fought affair but New Zealand were worthy victors in a game which saw the brilliant duo of Jorja Miller and Maddison Levi both get on the scoresheet again.
After their sixth title of the season, Player of the Final Risi Pouri-Lane said: “To come here and play in a final at the home of Sevens Rugby – in such an iconic stadium has been an awesome privilege.
“The girls showed grit and heart and it took a whole squad effort.”
With Valladolid the next World Championship event on May 29-31, 2025 Player of the Year Miller said: “We love these finals – they’re the moments we live for.
“We want to keep improving and stay unbeaten in Valladolid next month – and hopefully win another title at the end of it.”
The two most dominant teams with the most storied rivalry in the women’s game both came into the final on the back of five straight wins over the weekend.
Mahina Paul – on her 25th birthday – broke from deep to open the scoring before Miller claimed centre stage, a role she seems born for, with New Zealand’s second try.
She collected a fine pass from Jaymie Kolose to race under the posts for her 41st try of a remarkable season.
Australia hit back through Isabella Nasser to make it 14-7 at the break but they lost Teagan Levi to the sinbin for a high challenge on Miller and Kelsey Teneti soon grabbed New Zealand’s third try.
Maddison Levi claimed her seventh Hong Kong try – and the 261st of her career – in the last minute but Australia fell short.
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
France overcame adversity to deservedly secure their first podium placement in Hong Kong after downing Canada 31-7 with a superb performance.
Charity Williams continued her red-hot form by scoring a brilliant individual try after just 20 seconds, racing past a clutch of France defenders to burst clear down the left flank.
They were then dealt a major blow when Yolaine Yengo was forced off through injury during the first half.
But Anaick Konyi got their first points after breaking clear down the right flank and then Cleo Hagel went over for their second on the stroke of half-time from Kelly Arbey’s delightful offload.
Konyi added her second after the break and Anne-Cecile Ciofani and Marie-Aurelie Castel put the icing on the cake with fourth and fifth tries for jubilant France.
A delighted head coach Romain Huet said: “We’ve been building all weekend and to finish like this, in this atmosphere, is so nice.”
SEMI-FINALS
Maddison Levi scored an opportunistic try to help Australia to a 21-5 victory over France in the second semi-final.
Tia Hinds produced two smart finishes before the break and then Levi, who surpassed Portia Woodman-Wickliffe’s record try tally of 256 on Saturday, collected a loose ball to end the French resistance before Marie-Aurelie Castel’s late consolation score.
New Zealand breezed into the final after proving far too strong for Canada with a 31-12 victory as the usual suspects did the business for the Black Ferns Sevens.
Captain Risi Pouri-Lane opened the scoring with a typical opportunistic effort before Stacey Waaka’s brace made it 19-0 at the break.
Canada cruelly lost Fancy Bermudez and Caroline Crossley to first-half injuries before the prodigiously-talented Jorja Miller and Katelyn Vahaakolo added further tries for New Zealand.
Captain Olivia Apps and Eden Kilgour gave Canada, who suffered a 10th consecutive cup semi-final defeat, a semblance of respectability with second-half tries.
5th PLACE PLAY-OFF
USA’s fast start saw them beat Japan 24-19 in a close-fought 5th Place Play-Off.
Rachel Strasdas, Sammy Sullivan and Sariah Ibarra all scored inside the opening five minutes.
Tahna Wilfley later added a fourth while Hazuki Ouchida, Mei Ohtani and Honoka Tsutsumi scored for Japan, whose spirited late rally narrowly failed to harvest a try.
USA had Kaylen Thomas sinbinned late on but they held on during a dramatic finale.
7th PLACE PLAY-OFF
Reapi Ulunisau and Atelaite Ralivanawa both scored twice, and Rogosau Adimereani was also on target, as Fiji beat Spain in the 7th Place Play-Off.
It was an impressive showing from the Fijiana, while Spain opened and closed the scoring with tries from Olivia Fresneda and Carlota Caicoya.
9th PLACE PLAY-OFF
Brazil were quickest out of the blocks in their 9th Place Play-Off against Great Britain as Bianca Silva’s early double laid the platform for a 17-12 victory.
Gisele Gomes Dos Santos added a third Brazilian try before GB hit back through Georgie Lingham and Katie Shillaker.
After securing ninth place, Brazil’s Marina Fioravanti admitted her team were delighted to be back on the world stage.
She said: “We’re pretty happy to be here but we think we can still tidy up some stuff and increase our standards.
“But we have this opportunity to be better and to play here in Hong Kong is amazing.
“The stadium and crowd are awesome and as a team we are sisters.
“We can feel that on the field or when we are outside singing and dancing. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
11th PLACE PLAYOFF
Argentina beat South Africa 25-10 in the 11th Place Play-Off.
The South Americans scored tries through Marianela Escalante, Sofia Gonzalez, Maria Brigido Chamorro, Talia Rodich and Azul Medina.
Maria Tshiremba and Zintle Mpupha crossed for South Africa, who bowed out with their pride fully intact.
South Africa blitz Argentina to win an historic first Hong Kong title
The Blitzboks showed all their class to win their first-ever Hong Kong title in the first leg of this year’s three-tournament World Championship series, with Valladolid next up on May 29-31 before Bordeaux in early June.
Tristan Leyds once again showed his penchant for performing on the big stage as he raced under the posts for a superb opening try for the Rainbow Nation.
Santino Zangara replied for Los Pumas Sevens but a second try for the Blitzboks by the effervescent Selvyn Davids put them 14-7 ahead at the break as Argentina’s Hong Kong title began to slip through their fingers.
Thereafter they simply ran amok with Davids completing his brace further tries from Ryan Oosthuizen and Shilton van Wyk saw them home.
Amid emotional celebrations, mercurial captain Impi Visser said: “I’m just so proud of the boys because we achieved something special today.
“I think we broke the hoodoo at Hong Kong Sevens and can finally call ourselves champions here.”
Looking ahead to next month in Valladolid, Visser added: “I think we’re going to have to make a step up in our attacking play but for now we will enjoy this one.”
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
One of the contests of the weekend went the way of Spain who edged out New Zealand 32-28 to claim a podium placement after a game for the ages.
Spain, who were already guaranteed to recorded their best-ever finish in Hong Kong, assumed early control when Tobias Sainz-Trapaga crashed over in the right corner.
He then outstripped the New Zealand defence on the opposite flank to race clear for a brilliant individual second before Roberto Ponce went over for a third.
The All Blacks Sevens scored through Akuila Rokolisoa, Brady Rush, Roderick Solo and Sam Clarke but Spain kept on coming and touchdowns from Anton Legorburu Anso (two) and Josep Serres saw them home.
Head coach Francisco Hernandez said: “We’re really happy to go home with third place.
“This was our highest ranking in Hong Kong and Valladolid next up will be an amazing tournament.”
SEMI-FINALS
Argentina showed their pedigree by outscoring Spain three tries to two in a 19-12 victory to seal their place in the final.
The in-form Jeremy Trevithick put Spain in front and later claimed his second but scores from Matteo Graziano, Santino Zangara and Sebastian Dubuc ensured a safe passage for Los Pumas.
South Africa flexed their muscles after beating New Zealand 26-14 in the first semi-final.
Tristan Leyds’ long-range score set the Blitzboks on their way to a third straight win against New Zealand for the first time since 2018.
Sebastiaan Jobb, Shilton van Wyk, Ryan Oosthuizen added further scores before New Zealand scored twice late on through Akuila Rokolisoa and Michael Manson.
5th PLACE PLAY-OFF
Fiji held off Australia to win 26-10 and led when through Tomasi Vuluma after excellent footwork and an intelligent dummy from Kavekini Tanivanuakula.
Australia quickly replied through Aden Ekanayake before Fiji’s Douglas Daveta was sinbinned by throwing the ball away.
But Filipe Sauturaga pilfered possession from Maurice Longbottom and ushered Tanivanuakula to scamper close and score.
Fiji led FIJ 14-5 at halftime and Daveta scored as soon as he returned to the field from an intercept.
Ben Dalton bagged a second for Australia but the prolific Vuiviawa Naduvalo reaffirmed Fiji’s superiority when some fine footwork took him under the posts.
7TH PLACE PLAY-OFF
Kenya capped a memorable weekend in Hong Kong by defeating France 21-7 in the 7th Place Play-Off.
Nygel Pettersan Amaitsa, Festus Shiasi Safari and Samuel Mosiori Asati scored for the Kenyans with Maxim Granell posting a solitary reply for France.
9TH PLACE PLAY-OFF
Uruguay beat Great Britain 26-14 in the 9th Place Play-Off after outscoring them by four tries to two.
Francisco Landauer, Alfonso Chahnazaroff, Pedro Hoblog and Diego Ardao were on target with the prolific Finely Lloyd-Gilmour grabbing a brace for GB.
11TH PLACE PLAY-OFF
Germany claimed an eye-catching 19-15 victory over the USA in their 11th Place Play-Off.
Niklas Koch, Cedric Eichholz and Bennet Veil scored their tries, while Ulu Niutupuivaha, Orrin Bizer and Steve Tomasin, with Felix Hufnagel proving crucial for Germany.
Veil, who scored Germany’s third try, said: “It’s a great feeling to get the win at a great stadium with a great atmosphere.
“We had quite a hard weekend and it didn’t start off as we wanted, but it’s good to finish with a win.
“We know that we have to learn a lot and be prepared for the next tournament – but I think we’re ready for it.”
