New Zealand’s Jorja Miller and South Africa’s Tristan Leyds have been crowned the HSBC SVNS Players of the Year after standout performances during the 2026 World Rugby Sevens Series.

Miller claimed the Women’s SVNS Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season, while Leyds received the Men’s SVNS Player of the Year honour following a pivotal campaign for South Africa.

The SVNS Rookie of the Year awards went to New Zealand’s Kele Lasaqa and France’s Anaick Konyi, recognising their breakthrough seasons on the world stage.

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin congratulated the winners and nominees, praising their performances and the excitement they brought to another successful HSBC SVNS season.

Miller, who returned to the New Zealand sevens squad after helping her country at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, enjoyed another remarkable year.

The 22-year-old surpassed 100 career tries in Vancouver, reached the 50-try mark for the season in Bordeaux and played a key role in the Black Ferns Sevens’ dominant title-winning run.

Reflecting on her second consecutive award, Miller credited her teammates for her success, saying the honour belonged to the entire squad.

She also joked that “KFC” might be part of her secret before adding that her biggest motivation is the constant drive to improve and become the best player in the world.

Leyds was instrumental in South Africa’s impressive campaign, helping guide his side to five HSBC SVNS titles, including four consecutive tournament victories and the nation’s maiden Hong Kong Sevens crown.

Accepting the award, Leyds thanked his teammates and coaching staff for pushing him to improve, revealing that his ambition had evolved from becoming the best fly-half in South Africa’s sevens programme to striving to become the best in the world.

Australia’s Henry Hutchison and Fiji’s Vuiviawa Naduvalo were also shortlisted for the men’s Player of the Year award, while Australia’s Maddison Levi and the United States’ Ariana Ramsey were among the finalists for the women’s honour.

The awards conclude another successful HSBC SVNS season, celebrating the players who delivered outstanding performances throughout the global rugby sevens circuit.