An exhilarating day of international rugby sevens came to an end as China Women and Uruguay Men were crowned champions of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenge 2024 following final round victories in Krakow, Poland and Munich, Germany respectively.

The top four men's and women's teams will qualify for the HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation competition in Madrid from 31 May to 2 June 2024.

In the men's competition, Uruguay won the final of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenge 2024 in Munich and the overall series title. "Los Teros" Sevens were the dominant team throughout the three-tournament Challenger Series and followed up their victory on home soil in Montevideo in March with their second title of the year, finishing top of the standings with 56 points.

Uruguay defeated Germany 21-19 in a pulsating final, while Hong Kong China, who narrowly missed out on a place in the top four, had to settle for bronze at the tournament in Munich, southern Germany.

The pools for the HSBC SVNS play-offs in Madrid will see Uruguay and Germany take on USA and Canada in Pool A, while Kenya and Chile join Spain and Samoa in Pool B.

Uruguay captain Diego Ardao said: "Our first goal was to be in Madrid. Now that we are in Madrid, we want to be in the play-off final with whoever we are playing and we need this win. We need to win this game to get back into the Sevens Series. It would be confirmation that we are a great rugby nation. We were there last year. It was a shame that we were relegated, but those were the rules and as I said, we need to confirm that we are a great nation of rugby, so we want to be there again in the SVNS."

Meanwhile, China completed a near-perfect campaign in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenge 2024 women's competition with a 36-0 victory over hosts Poland in the final in Krakow.

China booked their place in the HSBC SVNS play-offs by qualifying for the quarter-finals at the end of day one and will be joined in Madrid by Argentina, Belgium and Poland. China had lost just one of their 17 matches in Dubai, Montevideo and Krakow before the main final, demonstrating their current form.

Despite losing the final, Poland's second place was enough to secure fourth place in the overall standings and a place in Madrid in two weeks' time.

The top four teams have thus secured their places in the new HSBC SVNS promotion and relegation competition in Madrid from 31 May to 2 June. Argentina, Belgium and Poland will join China in the HSBC SVNS women's play-offs, while Uruguay, Chile, Kenya and Germany will do the same in the men's competition.