LA Sevens: Kenya set for Division 2 as New Zealand, South Africa crowned champions

New Zealand women and South Africa men won the 2025 HSBC Sevens World Championships in Los Angeles to end the season as overall winners of the newly revamped Sevens structure.

South Africa overcame Spain 19-5 in the men’s final to take gold, while Olympic champions New Zealand showed their class to beat Australia 31-7 in the women’s final.

New Zealand overcame league winners Argentina 38-17 to take men’s bronze, with Canada beating hosts USA 27-7 for women’s bronze, while New Zealand defeat league winners Argentina 38-17 to take men’s bronze.

Brazil, China, Kenya, and Spain women, along with Uruguay, USA, Kenya, and Germany men, also secured places in HSBC SVNS 2026 Division 2 following success in the LA Playoff.

Argentina’s Luciano Gonzalez and New Zealand’s Jorja Miller were named men’s and women’s HSBC Sevens Players of the Year as the curtain on another thrilling season was brought down.

South Africa claimed their fifth men’s Series title, and first since 2021, by beating a valiant Spanish side 19-5 to bring down the curtain on the 2025 international rugby sevens season.

Selvyn Davids was named HSBC Player of the Match and scored the opening try from deep to break the deadlock.

Spain's captain Pol Pla brought his team to within two points with a fine try, but Mfundo Ndhlovu extended South Africa's advantage, and Ricardo Duarttee scored in the dying seconds.

South Africa Head Coach Philip Snyman said: "The team never stopped believing. They played five phenomenal games and were unstoppable. This team can go places. I am very proud of them."

The women’s final featured Olympic gold medallists New Zealand and reigning Sevens champions Australia, who have played out some epic encounters over this Series.

Already league winners, New Zealand proved too strong for a young but immensely talented Australia team.

HSBC Player of the Match Jorja Miller scored a marvellous try to get her team going, picking up from her own 22 to score her 29th of the season and the Black Ferns Sevens went on to show their dominance with a 31-7 final score.

New Zealand captain Sarah Hirini said: "Man, that feels good. After the Olympic gold medal, we wanted to show we are a great team, and to us, that was winning the League and winning the [World Championship] Series, and we did it."

Beside the World Championship action, the HSBC Play Off competition saw the teams ranked ninth to twelfth in HSBC SVNS 2025 vying with the top four ranked teams from the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger for four qualification spots to HSBC SVNS Division two in 2026.

The pool winners secured their SVNS division two status automatically with Brazil and China women and USA and Uruguay men securing their spots thanks to a hat-trick of pool wins.

Meanwhile the teams who finished second and third in their pools faced a winner-takes all Play Off final match on Sunday for a place in division two.

Both Kenya’s teams were successful, with the men beating Canada 24-5 and the women overcoming South Africa 17-14, to end up as the day's winners.

Germany produced perhaps their most impressive performance of the day, to thrash Samoa 31-0 and claim the last remaining men’s spot, while Spain’s women saw off Argentina 28-0 to secure their place.

The unsuccessful Playoff teams will begin the 2026 season in their respective regional competitions from which they have the opportunity to qualify for a standalone division three event, where they can reach division two by finishing in the top two.

From there, teams will have the opportunity to progress all the way through to the three HSBC SVNS World Championships Series events in the same season.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson, who was in attendance in Los Angeles, said: "LA delivered a finale to savour in what has been a season to remember."

"The HSBC SVNS World Championship demonstrated sport at its enthralling, brilliant and emotional best with teams and fans experiencing the highs and lows of rugby," he offered.