(Photo World Rugby)
Hosts and two-time finalists Australia finished at the top of their pool in their home tournament for the first time ever — but they had to do it the hard way, as Great Britain threatened a major shock in the final match of the day of the HSBC SVNS.
New Zealand had already stunned Singapore finalists France, winning the penultimate game with golden point in injury time, to claim the second semi-final slot from Pool B. But Great Britain, who had earlier picked up a deserved win over the All Blacks Sevens, threatened a major shock, as they took a 21-19 lead into the dying seconds of the deciding match — only for Hadley Tonga to break their hearts with a dramatic diving touchdown in the corner.
Fiji and South Africa both enjoyed rather more routine runs to the last four spots in Pool A.
Singapore champions Fiji will play New Zealand, and Australia take on South Africa in the semi-finals on Sunday, while Spain will take on Great Britain and France will face Argentina for the minor places.
POOL A: Fiji top ‘Pool of Death’ as back-to-back Perth winners Argentina stumble again
Zain Davids scored his 50th try in Blitzboks green as they planted one foot in the semi-final draw at Perth with a high-intensity 19-12 win over two-time HSBC SVNS League phase winners Argentina. Christie Grobbelaar and Donavan Don joined him on the scoresheet.
That was his second try of the day. He scored his 49th as South Africa opened their account in Perth with a convincing five-try 33-14 win over Spain.
But Argentina’s 2026 HSBC SVNS Series struggles continue. The loss to the Cape Town tournament champions was their second of the day, and meant they were out of last-four contention, after they had slipped to a 26-10 loss to Fiji in their first Perth outing.
Spain’s Jeremy Trevithick took his try tally on opening day to five with a hat-trick against Fiji. A first-half double took his side into an early 12-0 lead. But the Singapore champions hit back to briefly lead 14-12 before Gabriel Rocaries touched down on the stroke of half-time.
Trevithick’s third, with the clock in the red, wasn’t quite enough following a second-half Kavekini Tanivanuakula double, as the conversion was missed, allowing Fiji to hold on for a 26-24 win.
Back-to-back Perth winners in 2024 and 2025 Argentina salvaged some pride / were condemned to finish day one at the bottom of Pool A. Another Trevithick double helped Spain to a deserved 26-19 victory at the end of an enthralling encounter.
A week after a golden-point thriller decided a pool phase meeting between Fiji and South Africa, the two sides served up another thriller. Viwa Naduvalo scored twice as the Singapore champions came from 14 points down to win 20-14.
POOL B: New Zealand stun France as Australia finish top after thrilling final match
Hosts Australia — without a number of their key players ensured a semi-final place in Perth with two wins in their first two games. First, they won a hard-fought encounter against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-14.
And, in their second outing, Australia got the better of a rejigged France, also missing veterans Paulin Riva and Stephen Parez-Edo Martin, with a statement 29-14 win, courtesy of a double for Ben Dowling.
Despite their defeat to the hosts, Les Bleus were still in with a shout of reaching the semi-finals, after Simon Desert had scored a first-half hat-trick as last weekend’s losing finalists in Singapore eased to a 36-10 victory over Great Britain.
New Zealand have historically struggled in Perth. Their second outing ended in a shock 26-19 loss to Great Britain, Finley Lloyd-Gilmour scoring a hat-trick to end a seven-game losing run and bag just their fourth win on the HSBC SVNS Series this season.
The All Blacks Sevens leap-frogged France into the semi-final places courtesy of a golden point touchdown for Frank Vaenuku at the end of a thrilling, draining encounter after sunset.
They nearly lost it again. The loudest cheer of the day came from New Zealand’s players, relieved to see Australia’s Hadley Tonga touch down in the corner with the clock to snatch a 24-21 victory over an improving Great Britain, who briefly had one foot in the last four.
Dominant Australia and New Zealand on course for Perth women’s final
New Zealand and Australia powered into the women’s semi-finals with pool perfect outings on a scorching opening day in Western Australia.
Trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand both looked in ominous form on the opening day of the HSBC SVNS Series stopover in Perth, as they ended the day with just one match each between them and a fourth final encounter in as many HSBC SVNS Series tournaments this season.
Neither side looked like losing as temperatures hit 35C and beyond at HBF Park.
The Black Ferns Sevens will face France in the last four on Sunday, while Australia take on USA.
Japan will play Great Britain, and Canada meet Fiji in the minor play-off places.
POOL A: Clinical Black Ferns Sevens in control on day one
Unstoppable New Zealand laid down a marker on the opening day in Perth, running in 17 tries as they racked up three wins from three to finish top of their pool.
The Singapore champions eased through the gears to beat a determined Japan 34-12 on their first outing of the day at HBF Park.
A hat-trick for Kelsey Teneti guided them to a 36-5 victory over Fiji, guaranteed the Singapore and Dubai champions a fourth semi-final spot in a row, and set-up a pool decider against USA.
And the Black Ferns Sevens rounded off their day one efforts with a commanding 31-0 win over fellow semi-final qualifiers USA, Teneti adding another two to her Perth tally.
Despite the disappointment of their final match on day one, USA were already assured of a semi-final place, after winning their first two games.
Yellow cards for Su Adegoke and Sammy Sullivan could not derail USA in the day’s opening game. They overcame a slow start and a second-half fightback to beat Fiji 34-15, courtesy of two late touchdowns.
USA’s second win in as many outings was a 38-14 victory over Japan in their second match of the day. Kaylen Thomas and Adegoke both scored twice as they overwhelmed their opponents in the second-half.
Fiji went winless in the pool phase for the first time since last year’s Perth stop, losing the third and final outing of day one 31-14 to an inspired Japan.
POOL B: Australia march on at home
A Heidi Dennis hat-trick was the highlight as hosts Australia got the Perth crowd cheering early on with an eight-try 54-5 opening-outing recital against Great Britain.
They followed that by tucking into France in their second outing — a first-half brace from Maddison Levi, following a cagey opening, setting them on the road to a 26-12 win that put them within touching distance of the semi-finals.
Earlier, Alycia Christiaens scored in each half as Les Bleues got off to the perfect start in Perth after their rollercoaster ride in Singapore, beating Canada 24-12.
Canada recovered from their opening game defeat and kept their hopes of a semi-final place alive with a comfortable 45-7 win over a Great Britain side still looking for their first HSBC SVNS win this season. Carissa Norsten scored three of the seven tries for the Olympic silver medalists.
But the odds remained in France’s favour, as they had arguably the easier final match against Great Britain, while Canada had Australia in their way.
Les Bleues made no mistake. Lou Noel scored two of their six tries as they won 42-10 — meaning Canada needed to beat Australia by at least eight points in their final day one outing to qualify for the last four.
But the match went the way of last weekend’s HSBC SVNS Series semi-final. Australia, who have only lost in the finals in Dubai and Singapore on the tour this season. The remarkable Maddison Levi scored twice as they went one better than New Zealand on the day one try count to win 38-10.
