"VAN" (Sports Desk - 13.04.2025) :: Following a thrilling two days of international rugby sevens action in Krakow, South Africa women and Portugal men were also crowned World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Krakow 2025 winners. 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 were leading the men’s competition coming into the concluding round of the tournament, Portugal were 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 were 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.
On Tue, May 6, 2025