Rugby Sevens: Great Britain’s men face uphill task at Singapore SVNS
Singapore hosts the final regular season event of the 2023-24 World Rugby Sevens (SVNS) series from 3-5 May. Britain’s men need a strong showing to avoid missing out on the Grand Final in Madrid at the end of May.
The top eight teams in the men’s and women’s series will battle it out for the SVNS title with the teams finishing in ninth down to 12th place contesting relegation playoffs in the Spanish capital.
New Zealand’s win in Hong Kong last time out saw them join Australia at the top of the women’s standings with the trans-Tasman rivals well clear of the rest. In the men’s, Argentina lead Ireland by eight points as both teams bid for a first SVNS league winners title.
Much of the attention in the Singapore National Stadium will be focused on the other end of the table where Great Britain could be forced into relegation playoffs across both genders.
The British men’s team, semi-finalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and silver medallists at Rio 2016, are currently in ninth place. With seven points to make up on the United States, they need a strong showing to avoid the relegation playoffs in what has been a disappointing season so far apart from a runners-up finish in Los Angeles at the start of March.
Reflecting on Hong Kong, Britain’s former Stade Francais Paris back Harry Glover told RugbyPass, “Anyone can beat anyone at the moment. We are always dogging it out with every team but it’s the fine margins. We just need to have a look back and see where we can improve.”
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The British men also face missing out on Paris 2024, needing to win June’s Final Olympic Qualifier in Monaco to take the last spot at the Games. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Glover, who was released by Stade Francais last June, added, “Even when I was in Paris I could see all the stuff that was happening for the Olympics and it is going to be one hell of a party out there, so fingers crossed we will be there.”
In Singapore, Britain have been drawn in Pool C with the USA, Ireland and double Olympic champions Fiji. If they fail to get out of the group, by finishing in the top two or as one of the two best third-placed teams, the relegations playoffs await. Canada have already missed out on the Grand Final with Samoa and Spain likely to follow suit.
Argentina are in what looks a tough Pool A alongside Hong Kong winners New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Pool B comprises France, South Africa, Spain and Samoa.
In the women’s tournament, Britain are hanging on to eighth place with Brazil just two points behind. Apart from a third place in Perth in January, they have toiled with both the men’s and the women’s teams struggling to adapt since Great Britain replaced England, Wales and Scotland in the SVNS series last year.
Britain’s women have been drawn in Pool C in Singapore with nearest rivals Brazil, title challengers Australia and Fiji. New Zealand are in Pool A with Canada, Perth winners Ireland and Spain. Hong Kong runners-up USA are alongside France, Japan and South Africa in Pool B.
