HSBC SVNS Series Rolls Into Cape Town This Weekend

The 12 Men’s teams and 12 Women’s teams will play a slightly altered competition format this weekend at DHL Stadium.

Teams have been split into four pools of three, with the four group winners progressing straight through to the semi-finals. The second-placed teams will enter the 5th-8th place play-offs, with those in third fighting it out for the lower rankings from ninth to 12th.

This format is intended to protect player welfare and will therefore be in place for this weekend in Cape Town and then Singapore, the two SVNS tournaments that are played the weekend after a previous event.

The Ireland Men have been paired in Pool C alongside Argentina and hosts South Africa, while the Ireland Women will battle it out with Spain and France in Pool C. You can watch all the action live on RugbyPass TV.

Unfortunately, a number of Ireland Sevens players have been ruled out of this weekend’s tournament in Cape Town having received medical treatment for a bacterial infection this week.

Affected players have received the highest standard of medical care and attention from the IRFU medical team, the tournament medical team, and local health services.

Team news will be confirmed on Saturday morning.