Black Ferns Sevens crowned World Sevens Series champions

The Black Ferns Sevens want to secure tournament victory in France before properly celebrating their World Series title. Photo / Photosport

The Black Ferns Sevens have been crowned World Series champions for the seventh time and with matches to spare on the global circuit.

Following an historic weekend in Hong Kong last month in which the side recorded a fifth successive tournament victory - achieved for the first time in a single women’s season - two wins overnight in Toulouse secured the overall trophy for the team.

Going into the French tournament, the Black Ferns Sevens were 16 points clear of Australia in the standings and knowing full well that they only needed to reach the quarter-finals to get the points required to secure another title.

A 50-0 thrashing of Poland and an easy 31-12 defeat of the United States ticked that box for the side, though they’re hesitant to start celebrating their impressive year before all is done and dusted.

“It’s a brilliant feeling. Unreal. And to do it with a few games up our sleeve is pretty special,” head coach Cory Sweeney said of the win.

“It’s a great moment but you can even feel in the team that the job’s not done. So we’ll celebrate at some point and we’re really stoked with the outcome, but we’ve got a job to do this weekend.”

The moment you get told you are @WorldRugby7s Champs for 2023 🎉#BlackFerns7s | #HSBC7s pic.twitter.com/UYtOsriwTL

— NZ Sevens (@nz_sevens) May 12, 2023

NEW ZEALAND ARE YOUR SEVENS SERIES CHAMPIONS! 🇳🇿🇳🇿#France7s | #HSBC7s | @nz_sevens pic.twitter.com/6Kx2rdMBDK

— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) May 12, 2023

The side have so far won five out of six tournaments this season in a dominant return to form after last claiming a championship title in 2020.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks Sevens side are also in the hunt for a championship title, with an overall victory in Toulouse enough to hand them their own major prize.

The side made a strong start to the tournament by beating Canada (29-12) and Kenya (31-5) to easily claim a place the quarter-finals.