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World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 open

By World Rugby

Sat Mar 1, 10:00 - Sat Mar 8, 21:00

Athlone Stadium

ABOUT

Athlone Stadium in Cape Town will host the first and second rounds of the HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 on 1-2 and 7-8 March featuring 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams


  • The top eight placed men’s and women’s teams will progress to the third round at the Henryk Reyman's Municipal Stadium in Krakow on 11-12 April
  • Top four ranked men’s and women’s teams at end of third round will qualify for the HSBC SVNS Play Off tournament in Los Angeles on 3-4 May
  • Match schedule and pools unveiled for the opening round
  • All six World Rugby regions represented in competition designed to boost the global development of rugby sevens


The pools and match schedule for the opening round are revealed with the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams representing all six World Rugby regions allocated into four pools of three teams each, based on rankings from previous competitions.


All teams have qualified for the Challenger via regional competitions.


A tough-looking men’s pool A sees Germany paired with Japan and Georgia. In pool B Chile will face Tonga and Portugal. Rugby sevens heavyweights Samoa line up in pool C together with Uganda and Brazil.


Pool D sees Hong Kong China and Madagascar take on Canada who dropped out of HSBC SVNS to the Challenger.


The women’s competition includes South Africa, Czechia and Hong Kong China in pool A.

Argentina head up pool B together with Thailand and Mexico.

Pool C sees Belgium, Uganda and Colombia go in to battle.

Poland are paired with Samoa and Kenya in pool D.


The first two rounds of the Challenger will replicate the competition format used for the recent HSBC SVNS Cape Town tournament in December 2024.

This sees the four pool winners progress directly to contest the semi-finals, while second placed teams will play for fifth to eighth places and teams finishing third in their pools will compete for ninth to twelfth positions.


At the conclusion of the second round in Cape Town, the top ranked eight men’s and women’s teams will progress to the third and final tournament at the Henryk Reyman's Municipal Stadium in Krakow on 11 - 12 April.

The four men’s and women’s teams with the most cumulative points gained across the three Challenger rounds will then qualify for the HSBC SVNS Play Off in Los Angeles on 3 - 4 May.


The action at Athlone Stadium will kick off at 10:00 local time (GMT+2) on Saturday 1 March, with the women’s and men’s finals set for 19:23 and 19:54 respectively on Sunday 2 March.

MATCH SCHEDULE FOR DAY 1


MATCH SCHEDULE FOR DAY 2.


LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS FOR EVENTS AT ATHLONE STADIUM:


  • Liquor
  • Drunkenness and unacceptable behavior
  • Umbrellas
  • Bottles: cans, glass or plastic bottles of any kind including squeezer bottles
  • Firearms, ammunition or devices as defined in the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (ACT No.60 of 2000)
  • Fireworks
  • Sharp metal objects
  • Explosives
  • Tear gas, mace or similar airborne chemical agents
  • Narcotics
  • Items that could cause injury
  • Clothing, banners, Flags or any other items with, in the opinion of the EO, saps, or any other designated official, is racist, sexist, discriminatory or in way offensive content
  • Flagpole or banner pole of any kind, unless it is made from in Flammable and Flexible plastic and does not exceed 1 meter in length 1cm in diameter Ambush marketing items
  • Animals
  • Dangerous weapons as defined in the Dangerous Weapon Act, 1968 (act no.71 of 1968) including knives and sticks Unauthorized cameras with detachable lenses
  • Fraudulent tickets and ticket holder
  • No musical instruments or vuvuzelas


Any items that get lost on matchday and are picked up or handed to security will go to the lost and found managed by Athlone Stadium. Please email athlone.stadium@capetown.gov.za for assistance with lost and found.

DIRECTIONS

World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 open
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