Overview
- The Hong Kong draw set the opening pools for April 17–19, the first stop in a three-event series that will decide next season’s core places.
- South Africa’s women, who rose from SVNS 3 and placed third overall across Nairobi, Montevideo and São Paulo, will face Australia, Canada and Great Britain in Pool B.
- Coach Cecil Afrika said injuries to Nadine Roos, Shannon-Leigh Windvogel, Liske Lategan and Simamkele Namba are under review before Hong Kong after the squad finished São Paulo with only eight players fit.
- The team led the São Paulo event for fewest missed tackles and closed SVNS 2 with a 79% tackle success rate, as debutants Shanidiné Bezuidenhout and Maceala Samboya and returnee Catha Jacobs drew praise.
- South Africa’s men, the Series champions under Philip Snyman, were drawn with Argentina, Spain and Uruguay in Pool A in a field completed by 24 qualifiers from SVNS Series, SVNS 2 and SVNS 3.