The dust has settled at the inaugural SVNS 3 tournament in Dubai and the message is clear: the Springbok Women and Argentina are officially on their way up. Both squads secured their promotion to the HSBC SVNS 2 series after dominant performances throughout the weekend at The Sevens Stadium.
South Africa finished their Dubai campaign with a perfect record, winning all five matches to lift the trophy. They were pushed to the limit in the final by a gritty Argentina side that led 5-0 at halftime thanks to an early Maria Taladrid try. However, the South Africans showed their resilience in the second half, with Zintle Mpupha leveling the score before Patience Mokone crossed in the final minute to seal a 12-5 victory.
While South Africa took the silverware, Argentina walks away with the ultimate consolation prize: a spot in the next tier of global sevens. Both teams have officially qualified for the three-event HSBC SVNS 2 series, marking a significant step forward for their respective programs.
In the other placement matches from Dubai:
- Czechia claimed third place and a spot on the podium after a 24-14 win over Poland.
- Colombia finished in fifth place with a shutout 17-0 victory against Thailand.
- Samoa took seventh place after defeating Mexico 29-0.
The journey continues next month as these teams face a new set of challenges on the global circuit. Mark your calendars for the upcoming SVNS 2 schedule:
- Nairobi, Kenya: February 14-15
- Montevideo, Uruguay: March 21-22
- Sao Paulo, Brazil: March 28-29
With the top teams from SVNS 2 eventually earning a shot at the elite World Championship Series, the stakes in Nairobi are going to be massive right from the opening whistle.
