{"id":313778,"date":"2025-11-28T06:34:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T06:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/313778\/"},"modified":"2025-11-28T06:34:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T06:34:17","slug":"power-shift-incoming-player-of-the-year-race-wide-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/313778\/","title":{"rendered":"Power shift incoming, Player of the Year race wide open"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The RugbyPass Round Table writers preview the 2025\/26 HSBC SVNS Series. Finn Morton (FM),\u00a0Ben Smith<\/a>\u00a0(BS), Joe Harvey (JH) and Lachlan Grey (LG) weigh in with some predictions before the season opener this weekend in Dubai.<\/p>\n

Give us a left-field bold prediction that you think will happen<\/p>\n

Finn Morton (FM): The SVNS Series will look a bit different this season.<\/p>\n

Two fierce rivals will step up as the teams to beat, dethroning Argentina<\/a> as League Winners ahead of the three-leg World Championships.<\/p>\n

Argentina have become a powerhouse in rugby sevens, claiming bronze at the Tokyo Olympics before taking the SVNS Series by storm like never before. Gaston Revol led the team\u2019s rise to a Maiden League title before retiring, while Marcos Moneta<\/a> continues to leave fans in awe.<\/p>\n

\"Video<\/p>\n

RUGBY SVNS 2026 promo<\/p>\n

\"Video<\/p>\n

There are five debutants in the Los Pumas<\/a> Sevens squad for Dubai \u2013 Eliseo Morales<\/a>, Sebastian Dubuc, Valentin Maldonado<\/a>, Martiniano Arrieta<\/a> and Juan Batac. Luciano Gonzalez<\/a> and Santiago Alvarez<\/a> are among the leaders within that set-up, so don\u2019t doubt their greatness completely.<\/p>\n

There is absolutely no doubt that the Los Pumas Sevens program remains incredibly strong, but there are other teams ready to take over. Spain<\/a> are on the up, Australia<\/a> are building behind the scenes, and expect an All Blacks<\/a> Sevens resurgence this season.<\/p>\n

As a bold prediction, Australia and New Zealand<\/a> will step up as the teams to beat, with Argentina among the contenders. Australia and New Zealand will win at least three of the six men\u2019s regular-season events between them, with Argentina taking out one title as well.<\/p>\n

Dietrich Roache returns after spending a year on the sidelines, and three really exciting debutants are more than ready to make their mark. New Zealand have announced a talented squad too, as they prepare to usher in a new generation.<\/p>\n

Ben Smith (BS): New Zealand to complete the double again in Hong Kong, the first of the three World Championship events in the revamped series.<\/p>\n

Whilst the Black Ferns tend to kick into gear after Dubai, the All Blacks Sevens are late season bloomers. But there is a special feeling around Hong Kong for New Zealand teams, which is held just as the All Blacks Sevens start to get going.<\/p>\n

In both 2023 and 2024 at the iconic old stadium, the men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams both won the event. With Hong Kong Sevens moving to Kai Tak last year, they couldn\u2019t pull off the triple-double.<\/p>\n

But in 2026 they will be back to complete the feat once more.<\/p>\n

Joe Harvey (JH): I\u2019ve been gazing at a crystal ball for a while now. Ahead of the regular season\u2019s conclusion, I expect Argentina to lead the way in the men\u2019s standings and the Black Ferns in the women\u2019s table. Because, let\u2019s be honest, it is the Grand Finals that truly matter. When you get to the business time of a season you look at the teams who know how to win and last season offers an indication of just that.<\/p>\n

The Blitzboks were World Championship winners. I think they will beat Los Pumas in the Bordeaux<\/a> finale.<\/p>\n

As I have already said, Australia will come up clutch with a squad teeming with talent and reverse last season\u2019s World Championship final result to better the Black Ferns on the banks of the Garonne.<\/p>\n

Lachlan Grey (LG): I think we\u2019ll see two new teams lift tournament silverware in 2025\/2026 \u2013 Spain Men and Canada<\/a> Women.<\/p>\n

Spain came agonisingly close to a men\u2019s gold medal last season \u2013 placing second in Dubai and Los Angeles \u2013 while Canada\u2019s women finished the Series with three straight bronze medals and are riding high off their spectacular 2025 Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup<\/a> campaign.<\/p>\n

Who is your pick for Men\u2019s SVNS Player of the Year?<\/p>\n

LG: Given I\u2019ve tipped Argentina to go all the way, they\u2019ll need a player like Marcos Moneta to lead the charge.<\/p>\n

It\u2019d be easy to tip the formidable Luciano Gonzalez to go back-to-back but at 25, Moneta is bigger, stronger and faster than ever following his 26-try season where he again topped the tally and earned Dream Team selection.<\/p>\n

Few players on the Series can match Moneta for sheer pace and he\u2019ll race away to a second Player of the Year title ahead of his compatriot.<\/p>\n

FM: With Australia, New Zealand and Argentina ready to take over, expect a fair share of the nominees to come from these nations. Marcos Moneta or Luciano Gonzalez are the obvious contenders from Los Pumas Sevens, while Joaquin Pellandini<\/a> could have a breakout season.<\/p>\n

Pellandini is an incredibly talented playmaker who may need to step up even more if Argentina are to go against my last prediction and remain the team to beat. Moneta is a try-scoring machine and will likely win at least one Player of the Final award, but don\u2019t forget about Gonzalez.<\/p>\n

Fans may have forgotten just how good Dietrich Roache is, with the Australian able to school defensive lines with quick thinking and tidy execution. When Wallabies great Michael Hooper<\/a> scored his first Wallabies try in Singapore<\/a> last year, it was Roache who delivered the final pass.<\/p>\n

Roache is also a goal-kicker, so much like Pellandini, will play an integral role in the team\u2019s quest for title this season. With Henry Paterson out of the season with an ACL injury, Roache will need to step up regardless.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the All Blacks Sevens, who have a new skipper. Akuila Rokolisoa has been nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year before and seems the most likely, although Ngarohi McGarvey-Black<\/a> could be in the conversation depending on when the playmaker returns.<\/p>\n

As a final answer, Roache will do something that no Australian has done before, winning World Rugby\u2019s Men\u2019s Sevens Player of the Year. POTY recipients have come from England, New Zealand, Samoa, South Africa, Fiji, the USA<\/a> and Argentina, but never Australia \u2013 for now.<\/p>\n

BS: Of course the Argentinian stars Moneto and Gonzalez will be in the mix, along with Spain\u2019s Pol Pla. Last year\u2019s equal top try scorer, Joji Nasova<\/a> of Fiji, has moved to 15s.<\/p>\n

If Fiji<\/a> go up a notch to challenge Argentina as the premier force in 7s again, it could be Pilipo Bukayaro, one of Fiji\u2019s talented playmakers along with veteran Terio Veilawa.<\/p>\n

From a New Zealand perspective, if the All Blacks Sevens do well if Roderick Solo<\/a> is back. He could do big things once back on the circuit in 2026.<\/p>\n

If Solo is healthy, he will shock the world for Player of the Year.<\/p>\n

JH: This is a tough one. For much of the past five years, Argentina have ruled the roost. And I sort of expect much of the same. Marcos Moneta was just 21 when he was named Player of the Year and has continued to be a top performer in the years since while the likes of Rodrigo Isgro<\/a> and Luciano Gonzalo have taken the award. He\u2019s unerringly good. It\u2019s actually frightening. So I expect him to take the gong home again.<\/p>\n

Which women\u2019s player stands out as the favourite for POTY?<\/p>\n

JH:\u00a0Honestly, I still feel a little robbed that we didn\u2019t see Maddi Levi on the pitch at the 2025 Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup. But that disappointment fills me with optimism about what the 23-year-old could do for Australia on the World Series in 2025\/26. We already know of her talent. She has been named in numerous Dream Team of the Years and was 2021\u2019s Women\u2019s Sevens Player of the Year. She\u2019s even a two-time runner-up.<\/p>\n

LG: The safe bet would be one of the Trans-Tasman heavyweights and past winners Jorja Miller<\/a> or Maddi Levi but there\u2019s something really special about Asia Hogan-Rochester<\/a>, especially off the back of Canada\u2019s incredible year in XVs.<\/p>\n

Hogan-Rochester scored five tries in their maiden World Cup campaign \u2013 including a double in the Final against England \u2013 and will return to the circuit full of confidence and raring to lead Canada to victory against the big two in a tournament final.<\/p>\n

FM: World Rugby\u2019s Women\u2019s Sevens Player of the Year has been awarded a dozen times since 2013, and either a New Zealander or an Australian has won it almost every single time. France\u2019s Anne-Cecile Ciofani<\/a> in 2021 is the only other recipient.<\/p>\n

Jorja Miller took out the award last season, after helping New Zealand win the SVNS League title and the World Championship. The Black Ferns Sevens vice-captain will almost certainly be in the conversation for the top honour yet again by season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

New Zealand captain Risi Pouri-Lane<\/a> has an opportunity to step up as both a leader and a game-driver this season, with the Black Ferns Sevens missing some big-name stars \u2013 Michael Brake and Sarah Hirini<\/a> are pregnant, and Shiray Kaka recently had a child.<\/p>\n

With a bit of a next-generation look to the Black Ferns Sevens squad, it\u2019s Miller and Pouri-Lane who need to step up. Braxton Sorensen-McGee is likely to stand out as a rookie, but the teenager likely won\u2019t win the top prize.<\/p>\n

But this time, the POTY will be an Australian.<\/p>\n

Levi is the obvious candidate, having scored a record-breaking 15 tries last season in Dubai \u2013 the former AFLW draftee scores with every second touch. Younger sister Teagan Levi is another candidate, but Madison Ashby will stand out.<\/p>\n

Ashby returns to SVNS this weekend, 573 days after suffering a devastating knee injury in Singapore. As an elusive threat with the ball, the Tokyo Olympian will play a key role in Australia\u2019s quest for the world title.<\/p>\n

BS: Jorja Miller will have to be the favourite again after scooping the award in 2025, looking to become the first player to go back-to-back since Michaela Blyde (now Brake) in 2017-18.<\/p>\n

Brake and Charlotte Caslick<\/a> are the only players to win the award twice. Miller will have fierce competition from Maddison Levi of Australia, the 2024 winner, who is always chasing a second WPOY.<\/p>\n

The duopoly of New Zealand and Australia\u2019s dominance in the women\u2019s game means the Player of the Year will likely come from one of these two teams.<\/p>\n

The dark horse pick is Risi Pouri-Lane who was sensational in 2025 for the Black Ferns, picking up two Player of the Final awards and named in the Dream Team of the Year.<\/p>\n

Pouri-Lane for 2026 Player of the Year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The RugbyPass Round Table writers preview the 2025\/26 HSBC SVNS Series. Finn Morton (FM),\u00a0Ben Smith\u00a0(BS), Joe Harvey (JH)…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":313779,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-313778","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-rugby","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/313779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=313778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=313778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}