Kia Ora Canada was on the ground as the HSBC SVNS Series made its debut in New York City, marking the first time the event has been hosted in the city after previous stops in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. Held at Sports Illustrated Stadium, home of the New York Red Bulls (MLS), the tournament delivered a weekend of world-class rugby and atmosphere.
Black Ferns Sevens Deliver Dramatic Final Victory
The Black Ferns Sevens continued their dominant, unbeaten run in spectacular fashion, scoring three tries in the final four minutes to edge Australia 22-21 in a thrilling final.
Once again, Jorja Miller, who hails from Timaru, stood out as one of the tournament’s top performers. reinforcing her status as one of New Zealand rugby’s brightest stars. Speaking during the tournament, Miller reflected on the experience of playing in New York:
“I grew up watching New York in movies. To travel here and experience the city is one thing, but to play rugby here is an amazing opportunity.”
Her sentiment was echoed across teams, with players embracing the unique opportunity to compete and play in one the world’s most iconic cities.
Mixed Results for All Blacks Sevens
It was a more challenging outing for the All Blacks Sevens, who finished sixth after losses to Australia, France, and eventual champions South Africa.
South Africa claimed the men’s title with a tense 10-7 victory over Fiji in the final.
USA Women Highlights Opening Day
One of the biggest talking points of the tournament came on day one, when the United States Women stunned rivals Canada with a dominant 24-0 win. Adding further misery for Canada in the recent USA V Canada sporting rivalry.
The result ignited a passionate home crowd, who stayed in full voice throughout the weekend. The USA women carried that momentum to finish third overall, while Canada placed seventh.
A Festival Atmosphere in New York
Across the two-day event, a crowd of 20,527 brought energy and colour, with New Zealand flags scattered throughout the stands and fans in fancy dress evoking memories of the golden era of Sevens in Wellington and Hong Kong.
While still in its early stages in New York, the tournament showed strong potential for growth in the “city that never sleeps,” particularly as the USA builds toward hosting the Rugby World Cup 2031 (Men) and Rugby World Cup 2033 (Women)
League Champions and What’s Next
The New York stop also confirmed overall League winners, with the Black Ferns Sevens claiming the women’s title and South Africa taking out the men’s competition under the new HSBC SVNS format.
Attention now turns to the restructured World Championship series, with upcoming events in:
More International Rugby to Come
Rugby fans in North America won’t have to wait long for more international action. The Black Ferns (XV) will feature in the upcoming Pacific Four Series, facing:
Meanwhile, the All Blacks will return to the United States later this year, taking on the Springboks in Baltimore on September 12th as part of their “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” tour.