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Live blog: Sevens Challenger Series – day three
By Liam Heagney
RugbyPass is live from Stellenbosch for the third and final day of the second and final leg of the 2023 Challenger Series. Saturday’s schedule ended with the quarter-finals in both the women’s and men’s sections and after Sunday kicks off with some minor placing fixtures, the tournament will quickly get down to the more serious business of producing second-leg finalists.
Belgium and China will contest the first women’s semi at 9:54am local time, with hosts South Africa taking on Czechia at 10:16.
If the Belgians lose their match, the Springboks will go into their last-four encounter knowing that qualification for the second-leg final will be enough for them to secure the automatic promotion place up for grabs for next season’s World Rugby elite series.
South Africa topped the tournament points board with 20 following last weekend’s first-leg title win and they are now guaranteed a minimum of 14 this weekend after reaching the second-leg semi-finals. Runners-up Belgium have 18 from last weekend and third-place China 16 to go with their 14 minimum from this weekend.
While the aggregate 2023 Sevens Challenger Series women’s champion will gain automatic promotion to the soon-to-be revamped World Rugby Sevens, the prize is different in the men’s section as the aggregate winner over the two weekends will proceed to a four-team playoff next month in London against three current elite section teams.
That event in England will have a top-tier place for the winners and Tonga are currently the favourites to clinch the ticket to contest the playoff as they have followed up last weekend’s first-leg title success with progress to the second-leg semi-finals.
The Tongans have 20 points to Germany’s 18, Belgium’s 14 and Chile’s eight following the first leg and they go into Sunday’s action in South Africa knowing that a semi-final win over the Germans will book their place in London.
That match starts at 10:38 with the second semi-final featuring Belgium and Chile following at 11am.
- Follow all the live blog action below and click here for a live stream provided by the SA RU:
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Latest Comments
If Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
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