Having claimed both titles in Hong Kong last month, New Zealand's rugby sevens players put forward their case to be among the favourites for gold at Paris 2024 with further success in Asia.

New Zealand and Australia started the final round of the women's series level on points at the top of the table and progressed to a winner-take-all final. Australia led 14-12 at the break, but Michaela Blyde's third try of the match and further scores from Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Stacey Waaka saw the Black Ferns Sevens run out 31-21 victors.

The Kiwi men bounced back from a comprehensive 33-5 reverse at the hands of men's league leaders Argentina in the pool stages to make it through to the final. The Pumas Seven then went down 21-5 in the quarter-finals to Ireland who were the only team that could deny them the series crown.

However, Argentina's 14-10 win over South Africa in the fifth-place playoff secured them a first SVNS title thanks to their vastly superior points difference over the Irish.

After two final defeats in 2022, Ireland were still seeking a first SVNS event victory. They made it through to the final thanks to a golden point penalty from Billy Dardis which gave them a 15-12 win over Great Britain.

The third-place match against Australia was crucial for Britain. A win would see them take displace the United States from eighth place in the series and send them through to the Madrid Grand Final at the end of the month. Defeat would consign them to the relegation playoffs in the Spanish capital.

The Britons rose to the task with first-half tries from Max McFarland and captain Robbie Fergusson seeing them into the break 14-0 up. Further scores from Will Homer and Kaleem Barreto, before a late consolation from Ben Dowling, secured a comfortable 26-7 triumph.

Fergusson told AFP, "To be in that top eight in Madrid secures our programme's funding for another year. That means the boys have jobs next year, it means we can have contracts. It means everything.

"Nobody gave us a hope in hell this weekend of pushing the USA out of the top eight and taking that spot, but we had total belief in our group and we did something special this weekend and hopefully we can kickstart a special few months now heading into the Olympics."

Britain will need to win the Final Olympic Qualification Tournament in Monaco in late June to clinch the last available spot at Paris 2024.

Despite being denied series spoils, Ireland had plenty to play for against New Zealand as they sought a first event victory after two final appearances in 2022. The Hong Kong winners went into a quick 12-0 lead thanks to tries from Leroy Carter and Fehi Fineanganofo, but Gavin Mullin hit back for the Irish before the break.

Defences were on top in the second half before Dylan Collier's re-established New Zealand's lead. Harry McNulty crossed to ensure a nervy finale, but the All Blacks Sevens prevailed 17-14 for back-to-back event wins, followed by the customary haka.

The teams have just over three weeks to prepare for the first SVNS Grand Final in Madrid where the winners on the weekend will be crowned inaugural SVNS champions. The eight qualifying teams are split into four pools with Pool A comprising the teams finishing first, fourth, fifth and eighth in the series, and Pool B the teams finishing second, third, sixth and seventh.

Women's Pool A: New Zealand, United States, Canada, Great Britain.

Women's Pool B: Australia, France, Fiji, Ireland.

Men's Pool A: Argentina, Australia, France, Great Britain.

Men's Pool B: Ireland, New Zealand, Fiji, South Africa.