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FISU Rugby Sevens Kicks Off in Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch, South Africa — The world’s best university rugby sevens players have descended at Stellenbosch for three days of high-speed rugby, international competition and university sporting excellence as the 2026 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens gets underway from 4 to 6 September.


Hosted by University Sport South Africa and organised by Maties Sport at Stellenbosch University, the championship has brought together approximately 200 men and women representing 17 teams from 14 countries, with the iconic Danie Craven Stadium providing the stage for the international university rugby spectacle.

Day one delivered an exciting mix of closely fought encounters and dominant performances, setting the tone for what promises to be a thrilling championship.

Pool B results 

The opening Pool B encounter between Ireland and Australia produced one of the closest contests of the day, with Ireland narrowly securing a 22-19 victory over the Australians. Ireland’s win gives them an important early advantage in a competitive Pool B, while Australia will be looking to bounce back in their next fixture.

In the other Pool B clash, Canada produced the biggest scoreline of the women’s opening matches, powering to a commanding 70-0 victory over Botswana. The result sends an early statement of Canada’s ambitions in the tournament, while Botswana will be hoping to regroup ahead of their next challenge.

Canada followed up their impressive opening-day performance with a commanding 35-7 victory over Ireland, continuing their strong start to the tournament. Australia also bounced back in spectacular fashion, recording the biggest result of the day with an astonishing 89-0 win over Botswana.

The results leave Canada and Australia heading into Day 2 with significant momentum as the battle for the top positions in Pool B intensifies.

Pool A results

South Africa’s opening match in Pool A proved to be a difficult encounter as the hosts went down 36-0 to France. France demonstrated their attacking quality and defensive discipline throughout the contest, keeping the South African side scoreless and securing a convincing opening-day victory.  France continued their strong campaign in Pool A with a 25-5 victory over the USA. The French side built on their impressive opening-day win over South Africa & USA and will now face Japan in what promises to be one of the most anticipated Pool A encounters on Day 2.

Earlier in Pool A, Japan defeated the USA 26-12, giving the Japanese side a winning start to their campaign For South Africa, the hosts suffered another setback as they were beaten 24-12 by Japan. After opening their campaign with a 36-0 defeat to France, South Africa showed significant improvement against Japan, scoring 12 points and pushing their opponents much closer.

The result, however, means South Africa will need a strong performance against the USA in their next match as they look to finish the pool stage on a positive note.

Upcoming women’s fixtures:

Pool B

Ireland vs Botswana — 10:51

Australia vs Canada — 11:13

Pool A

France vs Japan — 11:35

South Africa vs USA — 11:57

All eyes will be on the South African side as they take on the USA at 11:57. With the hosts still searching for their first victory, the match presents an important opportunity to end the pool stage strongly on home soil.

With the opening day’s results setting up several intriguing battles, the intensity is expected to rise as teams continue their pursuit of FISU World University Championship glory.

The tournament showcases not only the quality of university rugby but also the growing international reach of the sevens format, bringing student-athletes from different countries together in one of South Africa’s premier university sporting environments.

For rugby fans unable to make it to Stellenbosch, all the action will be streamed live on FISU TV, allowing supporters around the world to follow the tournament. Live schedules and results can also be accessed through the official FISU championship results platform.

Writer: Jabulile Mabena

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