Highlights: HSBC SVNS Dubai 2025 | Day 2

The All Blacks Sevens secured a memorable double victory for New Zealand in Dubai, following in the footsteps of the Black Ferns Sevens to claim both men’s and women’s titles at the opening tournament of the HSBC SVNS Series.

The All Blacks Sevens ended a long title drought, claiming their first tournament win since Singapore in 2024 by defeating Australia 26-22 in the final.

The intense gold medal match saw Maurice Longbottom put Australia on the scoreboard first, but New Zealand hit back with quick tries from Dylan Collier and Akuila Rokolisoa, leading into halftime after a crucial try-saving tackle by Brady Rush.

Despite an Australian comeback that narrowed the lead after a Sione Molia try, Jayden Keelan sealed the victory for New Zealand, leaving Harry Wilson’s final score as a consolation. Player of the Final Brady Rush was “pretty stoked,” while captain Tone Ng Shiu warned rivals that consistency in the “little things” would be key for their success throughout the remainder of the series.

In the bronze final, outgoing champions Fiji secured third place with a 24-7 victory over France in a feisty match. Fiji’s tries came from Jeremaia Matana, Viwa Naduvalo (his sixth of the weekend), Terio Veilawa, and Manueli Maisamoa, an effort which held up despite a late red card for Sakiusa Siqila.

Earlier semi-final action saw Australia defeat France 14-0, aided by two second-half tries from tournament debutant William Cartwright, while New Zealand edged out Fiji 24-21, with Brady Rush scoring the critical try as time ran out, ending Fiji’s title defense.

In the play-offs, South Africa managed a valuable boost before their home tournament, defeating Spain 21-12 in the fifth-place final with tries from Shilton van Wyk, David Brits, and Mfundo Ndhlovu.

This came after Spain pulled off an early contender for match of the tournament, roaring back from a 28-5 halftime deficit to beat last season’s League champions Argentina 31-28 on the hooter. Spain’s coach Francisco Hernández was delighted but stressed the need to “keep improving.”

South Africa had also comfortably beaten a new-look Great Britain side 34-0 earlier in the day. Great Britain ultimately finished on a high, coming from behind with late tries from Marcus Kershaw and Ryan Apps to claim seventh place with a 24-19 win over Argentina.

Next Stop: HSBC SVNS Cape Town

The action immediately moves to the second stop of the HSBC SVNS Series, the highly anticipated HSBC SVNS Cape Town, which takes place the following weekend on Saturday, December 6 – Sunday, December 7, 2025.

The event is hosted at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town and is a major event for the home team, the South Africa “Blitzboks,” who will be looking to capitalise on their fifth-place finish in Dubai and give themselves a significant push up the series standings.

The atmosphere at the DHL Stadium is known for being electrifying, with the event attracting over 100,000 fans, combining world-class rugby with a vibrant festival atmosphere. The tournament will feature both the men’s and women’s competitions.