“We are playing for the future of our programme”

HSBC SVNS 3 brings sevens rugby back to Dubai less than two months after the top-tier HSBC SVNS Series kicked off at the Sevens Stadium. This weekend, eight men’s and eight women’s teams will take to the field, aiming to make their mark and move closer to the HSBC SVNS Championship later this year.

Women’s teams from Argentina, Colombia, Czechia, Mexico, Poland, Samoa, South Africa and Thailand, and men’s teams from Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong China, Italy, Madagascar, Samoa and Tonga, will all be competing for strong performances in World Rugby’s new three-tier sevens system.

The top two men’s and women’s sides this weekend will earn promotion to a three-event HSBC SVNS 2 series in Nairobi, Montevideo and Sao Paulo, taking place in February and March. There, they will face established sevens nations, including Hong Kong China, Kenya, Uruguay and the USA, providing a strong test for all sides.

Across the series, 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams will vie for a top-four finish to secure a place in the elite HSBC SVNS World Championship Series. The winner-takes-all championship will feature 24 teams across stops in Hong Kong (April), Valladolid (May) and Bordeaux (June).

“The team has high expectations,” Argentina captain Paula Pedrozo said, after the captain’s photograph in the dunes of Dubai. “We have been working hard to refine details and continue improving our defensive and attacking systems, analysing our opponents and, of course, analysing our strengths and weaknesses.

“The main objective is to qualify for SVNS 2. Winning the championship would be a nice bonus.”

Strong performances in SVNS 3 can open the door to higher-level competition, as Spain’s men’s side showed last season. After finishing tenth in the 2023-24 HSBC SVNS events and surviving the playoffs, Spain secured their place in the 2025 Series.

They then reached the final of the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles, narrowly losing to Australia and established themselves as a team to beat on the world stage.

The 12 players in the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad are very aware of the massive responsibility that awaits them in Dubai this weekend and they will need no motivation to go and execute the task at hand.

That is the view of team captain, Nadine Roos, as the South African side contest HSBC SVNS 3 at the Sevens Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, a tournament where success will open more doors for the SA women.

The two finalists in Dubai on Sunday will qualify for HSBC SVNS 2, to be played over three tournaments later in the season and Roos said they are not going to shy away from this challenge.

“The biggest pressure is, of course, qualifying for the world series,” said Roos.

“This is not only important for sustaining the current sevens programme but also for shaping the future of the programme in South Africa. It’s about more than just qualifying – it’s about building a structure that ensures long-term success.”

South Africa face Mexico, Czechia, and Thailand in Pool A on Saturday, while Argentina, Colombia, Poland and Samoa will contest Pool B.

Roos said they are well prepared: “Looking at the squad, it is similar to the one that competed in the Africa Cup, where we went undefeated in a must-win environment. We are aware of the pressure we faced during that tournament, so we are prepared to absorb whatever pressure comes our way this time.”

The experienced playmaker feels that a good start will kick them off in the right way.

“We are a team that flow well; we know exactly what is expected of us and we have a job to execute,” said Roos.

“As a group, we have set our goals and the ultimate objective is to win the tournament. However, we are very process-driven, so our immediate focus is on the opening match against Mexico. We want to set a high standard in that first game.”

They respect all their opponents but must focus on Mexico first, she said: “From there, our focus will shift to each subsequent match. We intend to treat every game as a final because we understand the stakes and what is required to reach the championship match.”

The Sevens will not be unfamiliar to the South Africans, with all of the players having participated in tournaments at the United Arab Emirates venue.

“We all have experience of either playing there during the world series or playing in the invitational tournaments that run alongside it, so we’re very familiar with the surfaces there, the pitch set-ups and the weather,” said Roos.

“An added bonus for us is the fact that there’s a lot of South Africans in that region, so hopefully they will come out and support the team and the ladies again. That will be a huge boost for us.”

Springbok Women’s Sevens squad for Dubai

#1 Leigh Fortuin

#2 Asisipho Plaatjies

#3 Patience Mokone

#4 Zintle Mpupha

#7 Maria Tshiremba

#9 Nadine Roos (captain)

#10 Byrhandré Dolf

#12 Liske Lategan

#14 Simamkele Namba

#15 Vianca Boer

#16 Shiniqwa Lamprecht

#23 Ayanda Malinga

Pool schedule (SA times)

Saturday

9.06am v Mexico

12.22pm v Czechia

3.38pm v Thailand