Manu Samoa 7s have qualified for the promotion-relegation tournament and have a chance to return to the top flight of the sevens competition.

Manu Samoa beat Canada 28-4 in the semi-final of the Krakow leg of the Challenger Series to ensure qualification. Their passionate four-try display secured them a place in the semi-finals and an all-important spot in the HSBC SVNS Play-Offs which will take place in Los Angeles on 3-4 May.

Samoa’s Meni Manase commented after the historic moment: “Our first goal was to qualify for LA and that’s ticked off. It’s an awesome achievement. It feels so unreal! First time being overseas and coming from a small country, it really means a lot to our coaches and our families.”

The team lost narrowly 24-19 to Portugal in the final.

Krakow played host to an action-packed finale of the HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 that entertained fans at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium.

Although Germany was leading the men’s competition coming into the concluding round of the tournament, Portugal was able to overcome them in the semi-finals to set themselves up for a place in the final against Samoa.

Fans were treated to a tantalising showdown with the teams due to go into half-time level had it not been for the impressive skill of Manuel Vareiro with an up-and-under-kick which saw them edge into the lead. Ultimately Portugal was able to keep ahead with Fabio Conceicao sealing their fate. Not only did the Portuguese team take the title in Krakow, they also cemented themselves as HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 Champions having previously also won the second round of the series in Cape Town.

Portugal’s Captain Fabio Conceicao commented after the win: “It’s been amazing for us as a young group coming to this tournament with big teams. We knew we could beat anyone and that’s what we did, we showed it on the pitch.”

South Africa capped off a dominant weekend in Krakow in the women’s competition with a convincing 21-12 win over Argentina in the final showdown of the day, following a 22-0 shutout against the same opponents the day before.

Having twice finished runners-up to Kenya in the series, this time it was South Africa’s moment to shine. The Springbok Women won all their fixtures across both days, showcasing clinical execution and relentless pace. Their unbeaten run in Krakow secured them the top prize and marked a standout performance to close out the Challenger series on a high and reaffirm their status as a powerhouse on the sevens stage.

History was made as Kenya Women were crowned overall champions of the HSBC Sevens Challenger Series, following a string of impressive performances across all three rounds. They kicked off their campaign in style by winning the opening two tournaments in Cape Town, displaying consistency, skill, and resilience throughout.

Their dominance in Cape Town set the tone — securing back-to-back titles with commanding wins. Despite a tough final leg in Krakow, where they finished third at Henryk Reyman's Municipal Stadium, their cumulative success was enough to seal the series crown.

Kenya’s Captain Grace Okulu said after raising the trophy: It’s actually been a tough couple of days in Krakow but we bounced back and we were able to win the series. Since last year we didn’t qualify so this year we really had a lot to do.”

The 2025 edition of the Challenger competition kicked off with combined events over two weekends in Cape Town on 1-2 and 7-8 March, followed by Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow on 11-12 April. Next up, all eyes are on the HSBC SVNS Play-off in Los Angeles on 3-4 May.