Singapore Sevens: Home of the underdog

As the HSBC Sevens World Series enters the second half of the circuit, the usual suspects are atop the leader board.

First placed South Africa have a healthy ten-point lead over New Zealand, who are jostling with Olympic champions Fiji who sit third.

Though these three Sevens superpowers often steal the headlines, it seems there is one leg none of the top sides look forward to - and that leg is Singapore.

That’s because the Singapore Sevens is the home of the underdog.

The tournament is an underdog itself, reintroduced as a World Series leg in 2016 after a ten-year hiatus.

Since making its return to the circuit, Singapore has quickly emerged as the leg where big names mean nothing. Just ask giant-killers Kenya and Canada.

Kenya and Canada have won the tournament in its last two iterations, the first Cup win for both countries. New Zealand haven’t made it past the quarter finals, and South Africa haven’t progressed past the semis.

In 2016 Kenya toppled the Fijians 30-7 in the Cup Final, while Canada beat the USA 26-19 the next year - in a matchup historically reserved for the Bowl or Plate - after shrugging off New Zealand and England in the knockout stages.

The Singapore Sevens are back for 2018, and 16 more teams will be hoping for their own fairytale ending.

Perhaps it will be the gutsy Argentinians, who are searching for their first tournament win in close to a decade.

Or maybe the stern Samoans, still hoping to rediscover the form that saw them become World Series champions in 2009.

If you want to find out in person, get along to the 2018 Singapore Sevens from April 28-29 at Singapore’s National Stadium.

Two-day passes start at $50SGD for adults and $25SGD for youths (4-18 years old).

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

Dates: April 28-29

Official Website: http://www.singapore7s.sg/home/