Dubai SVNS: Exciting new era
ROUND ONE PREVIEW: An exciting new era for Sevens will begin in Dubai on Saturday and Sunday (December 2 and 3), as the highly anticipated HSBC SVNS 2024 kicks off.
The Dubai features the top 12 men and 12 women teams in the world competing over two action-packed days at The Sevens Stadium.
Dubai been a mainstay on the global Sevens calendar since its inception in 1999, and will feature a huge music and entertainment line-up and mass participation sports activities alongside the world-class Sevens to entertain fans in a festival atmosphere.
The men's competition sees 2023 series champions New Zealand – who were winners in Sydney, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore and Toulouse last season – headline Pool A alongside Canada, last year's Cape Town winners Samoa and the defending Dubai champions South Africa, in a repeat showdown of the of the recent World Cup Final in Paris in the 15-a-side game.
The 2023 Hamilton, Vancouver and London winners, Argentina are in Pool B and will face Spain, Australia and Ireland in Dubai, while double Olympic gold medal winners Fiji will meet France, the United States and Great Britain in Pool C.
In the women's competition, New Zealand, who won six of seven tournaments to claim their seventh series title, headline Pool A alongside Fiji, Great Britain and the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023 champions South Africa, who join the series this season.
Defending Dubai champions Australia will face Brazil, Ireland and Japan in Pool B, while last season's overall bronze medal winners the United States take on France, Spain and their north American rivals Canada in Pool C.
The competition format replicates the Olympic model and sees the top two teams from each pool, plus the best two third-placed teams qualify for the quarterfinals.
World Rugby's revamped and rebranded global celebration of Sevens is taking place across eight iconic destinations and is set to supercharge the sport's global appeal.
The new-look HSBC SVNS 2024 features seven regular season events – in Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore – before the Grand Final in Madrid.
The top eight placed teams based on cumulative series points after seven events will compete in the new ‘winner-takes-all' Grand Final, where the women's and men's champions will be crowned.
Madrid will also play host to the high stakes relegation play-off competition where teams ranked ninth to 12th will join the top four teams from the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger series, with the top four placed teams securing their place on HSBC SVNS 2025.
Sevens reimagined
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can watch the HSBC SVNS action wherever they are in the world, either via broadcaster partners or online on RugbyPass TV.
Schedule
(Kick-off is local time - GMT plus four hours)
Men
Fiji v United States (10.06)
France v Great Britain (10.06)
Argentina v Spain (10.28)
Australia v Ireland (10.28)
New Zealand v Canada (10.50)
Samoa v South Africa (10.50)
Great Britain v United States (13.30)
Fiji v France (13.52)
Ireland v Spain (14.14)
Argentina v Australia (14.36)
South Africa v Canada (14.58)
New Zealand v Samoa (15.20)
France v United States (18.44)
Australia v Spain (19.06)
Samoa v Canada (19.28)
Fiji v Great Britain (19.50)
Argentina v Ireland (20.12)
New Zealand v South Africa (20.34)
Women
United States v Spain (09.00)
France v Canada (09.00)
Australia v Brazil (09.22)
Ireland v Japan (09.22)
New Zealand v South Africa (09.44)
Fiji v Great Britain (09.44)
France v Spain (11.15)
United States v Canada (11.37)
Ireland v Brazil (11.59)
Australia v Japan (12.21)
Fiji v South Africa (12.43)
New Zealand v Great Britain (13.05)
Canada v Spain (15.45)
United States v France (16.07)
Japan v Brazil (16.29)
Australia v Ireland (16.51)
Great Britain v South Africa (17.13)
New Zealand v Fiji (17.35)