The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series has entered the semifinal stage at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland, following the conclusion of the men’s and women’s pool matches.
Kenya Lionesses secured second place in Pool A and have qualified for the HSBC SVNS promotion playoffs set for Los Angeles. The Lionesses are set for a familiar clash against South Africa, who topped Pool B with a perfect record of nine points.
The other women’s semifinal will see Thailand face Argentina, with both sides aiming to book a spot in the final.
Challenger Series Pool B log. PHOTO/ World Rugby
The Challenger Series was introduced in February 2020 to support the global development of rugby sevens. The short-format game has enjoyed rapid growth over the past two decades, particularly after the launch of the World Sevens Series and its inclusion in the Olympic Games at Rio 2016.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
- Why Patrick Odongo Okong’o feels indebted
- List of rugby prospects from high school
- Colman Were keen to redefine Kenyan rugby’s physical edge
- Follow Scrummage Africa on Facebook
The 2025 edition of the Challenger Series kicked off with combined events over two weekends in Cape Town on 1–2 and 7–8 March.
Challenger Series Pool B log. PHOTO/ World Rugby
The action then shifted to Krakow on 11–12 April and will culminate at the HSBC SVNS Play-offs in Los Angeles on 3–4 May.
Friday, 11 April – Results
Venue: Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium, Krakow, Poland
Men – Pool A
- Match 1: Chile 14-26 Samoa
- Match 2: Germany 33-12 Tonga
- Match 5: Chile 29-7 Tonga
- Match 6: Germany 10-14 Samoa
- Match 9: Germany 12-7 Chile
- Match 10: Samoa 12-21 Tonga
Men – Pool B
- Match 3: Portugal 28-10 Japan
- Match 4: Canada 29-24 Madagascar
- Match 7: Portugal 19-10 Madagascar
- Match 8: Canada 40-10 Japan
- Match 11: Canada 17-10 Portugal
- Match 12: Japan 12-26 Madagascar
Women – Pool A
- Match 1: Colombia 12-24 Thailand
- Match 2: Kenya 12-0 Belgium
- Match 5: Colombia 19-0 Belgium
- Match 6: Kenya 12-28 Thailand
- Match 9: Kenya 12-7 Colombia
- Match 10: Thailand 12-15 Belgium
Women – Pool B
- Match 3: Argentina 31-7 Czechia
- Match 4: South Africa 29-10 Poland
- Match 7: Argentina 24-12 Poland
- Match 8: South Africa 45-0 Czechia
- Match 11: South Africa 22-0 Argentina
- Match 12: Czechia 22-15 Poland
Saturday, 12 April – Fixtures
Venue: Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium, Krakow, Poland
Time: My Time
5th Place Semi-Finals – Men
- Match 13 (12:00): Chile vs Japan
- Match 14 (12:22): Madagascar vs Tonga
5th Place Semi-Finals – Women
- Match 13 (12:44): Colombia vs Poland
- Match 14 (13:06): Czechia vs Belgium
Cup Semi-Finals – Men
- Match 15 (13:28): Germany vs Portugal
- Match 16 (13:50): Canada vs Samoa
Cup Semi-Finals – Women
- Match 15 (14:12): Thailand vs Argentina
- Match 16 (14:34): South Africa vs Kenya
7th Place Play-Offs
- Men – Match 17 (16:00): Loser M13 vs Loser M14
- Women – Match 17 (16:22): Loser M13 vs Loser M14
5th Place Play-Offs
- Men – Match 18 (16:44): Winner M13 vs Winner M14
- Women – Match 18 (17:06): Winner M13 vs Winner M14
3rd Place Play-Offs
- Men – Match 19 (18:00): Loser M15 vs Loser M16
- Women – Match 19 (18:22): Loser M15 vs Loser M16
Cup Finals
- Men – Match 20 (18:47): Winner M15 vs Winner M16
- Women – Match 20 (19:15): Winner M15 vs Winner M16
