The HSBC SVNS World Championship returns for one last dramatic tournament with three days of wall-to-wall action in the western French city of Bordeaux bringing the curtain down on an entertaining season of sevens rugby – with World Championship glory and a place among next season’s HSBC SVNS elite on the line.
The 24 captains in the presence of Mayor of Bordeaux Thomas Cazenave and French Rugby Federation CEO Christophe Pierrel gathered at the historic and beautiful Opera national de Bordeaux for the final captains’ photocall of the season, less than a week after reigning men’s and women’s world champions South Africa and New Zealand suffered shocks in north-west Spain on a golden weekend for the Australian teams.
The men’s side beat the Blitzboks in the final to climb from sixth to third in the World Championship Series standings, and head into the weekend with a genuine chance of claiming the title on Sunday – though Argentina, Fiji, Spain and New Zealand all have their eyes on lifting the trophy on Sunday.
Australia’s women’s side, meanwhile, leapfrogged the Black Ferns Sevens in the women’s standings, after a stunning run to the final, beating their trans-Tasman rivals in the semi-finals and then getting the better of USA in the final. Australia, New Zealand and USA top the women’s standings, but France and Canada are chasing hard.
Home country captain Lili Dezou said France were ready to put on a command performance in front of a passionate home crowd at Stade Atlantique, as they look to finish a strong season on a high.
“We are very excited to be in Bordeaux because it’s our home and it’s in front of the French public. We can’t wait to play this weekend,” she said.
“There will be a lot of noise, and the fans will be partying everywhere – it will be a lot of fun.”
At the other end of the women’s standings, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina and Great Britain head into the final weekend of the season in the most need of points as they seek to avoid relegation to HSBC SVNS 2.
Les Bleus’ captain Paulin Riva was looking forward to playing in a tournament on French soil for the first time since the Olympic Games in Paris. “Returning to France after our success at the Paris Olympics is a great opportunity,” he said. “Playing in front of our families, friends, and French supporters in a city like Bordeaux, a rugby city, is a privilege.”
His France side will be looking for a strong performance in front of a partisan home crowd, as they look to steer a course up the standings and away from the bottom four, currently occupied by Uruguay, Germany, USA, and Great Britain.
Tickets for the grand HSBC SVNS World Championship Series finale in Bordeaux are available here, and those attending the tournament will be able to enjoy top-level rugby in a vibrant festival atmosphere featuring activities for all ages.
Fans around the world will be able to catch all the action live on Rugby Pass TV. Wider information on the HSBC SVNS Series can be found here.