Highlights: HSBC SVNS New York 2026 | DAY 1

The opening day of the HSBC SVNS New York at the Sports Illustrated Stadium delivered high-stakes drama as the 2026 regular-season champions were crowned in the women’s draw, while the men’s competition set the stage for a mouthwatering knockout round.

Women’s Tournament: Black Ferns Sevens Rule the World

The New Zealand Black Ferns Sevens officially confirmed their status as the dominant force in rugby sevens, securing the 2026 regular-season title with a day to spare. By booking their semi-final spot with three consecutive wins in Pool A, they became mathematically untouchable in the overall standings.

The Black Ferns opened their account with a clinical 46-5 demolition of Great Britain, followed by a decisive 31-10 victory over rivals Fiji.

Jorja Miller, the reigning Series Player of the Year, proved why she holds the mantle by scoring a brilliant brace against the Fijiana. They capped off the day by beating France 29-19, setting up a semi-final clash against the USA.

In Pool B, Australia matched New Zealand’s intensity. Led by the record-breaking Maddison Levi—the fastest player to reach 200 Series tries—the Australians swept their pool.

After crushing Japan 47-7 and Canada 40-0, they edged out the home favorites, USA, 26-19 in a physical encounter. Australia will now face Fiji in the second semi-final.

Men’s Tournament: Australia Topple the Blitzboks

The men’s bracket saw Australia claim the summit of Pool A after a grueling “Southern Hemisphere battle” against South Africa. In the final game of the day, Australia edged the Blitzboks 19-12.

Despite two tries from South Africa’s Selvyn Davids—who celebrated his 100th and 101st career tries—a late score from Jayden Blake secured the top spot for the Aussies.

Australian captain Henry Hutchison praised his side’s “physicality and grit,” noting the emotional weight of the day as the team wore black armbands in tribute to teammate Ben Dalton’s grandfather. Australia now moves on to face a dangerous Fiji side in the semi-finals.

South Africa’s Impi Visser, celebrating his milestone 50th HSBC Sevens tournament, led his team to victories over New Zealand (22-7) and France (12-5) before the narrow loss to Australia.

The Blitzboks remain locked in a two-horse race with Fiji for the men’s regular-season title, with their semi-final match against Argentina carrying massive championship implications.

Pool B: Los Pumas Rise to the Occasion

Argentina’s Los Pumas finished the day at the top of Pool B after a series of resilient performances. They began with a statement 31-12 win over Fiji and followed it up with a “classic” comeback against Spain, overturning a 26-7 halftime deficit to win 27-26.

Their day concluded with a hard-fought victory over Great Britain, ensuring they head into Championship Sunday with maximum momentum.

Fiji, needing a strong finish to keep their title hopes alive, bounced back from their loss to Argentina by dismantling Spain 43-12, highlighted by a hat-trick from Douglas Daveta.

This result ensures that the race for the men’s overall title will go down to the final matches in Harrison, New Jersey.