The decorated 28-year-old is on his first visit to Hong Kong, and he plans to make the best of this opportunity, with the long-anticipated tournament victory also on “to do list” in the Far East this week.

“Everyone is raving about this tournament and from what I saw on TV in the past, there is certainly a hype,” said Brits.

“I am in a lift club with Ryan Oosthuizen as well and he speaks with great respect of the tournament. For me personally, the Cape Town Sevens is the best tournament ever, especially when we play in the final and win, like we did in the last two years, but I am prepared to give Hong Kong a go,” Brits added, still with a wink of the eye.

“I missed out on the tournament the last two years because of injury, which was unfortunate, but that is how rugby goes sometimes. This time around I made it, much to my delight as I can now also play in what will be a huge moment in my sevens career. The fact that we arrive here well prepared makes the wait even more exciting.”

Brits has enjoyed the glory that came with winning the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles last year and the HSBC SVNS Series in 2026, but he said the Blitzboks are starting afresh in the first of three World Championship tournaments.

“We came here with the series behind us, as we now focus on the next challenge,” he said.

“We are very proud of what we achieved thus far, but that is in the bank, and we are ready to start creating new memories for the group.

“It was quite telling that this time around, we did not welcome any debutants into our first training session like we had in Cape Town, Singapore, Perth, Vancouver and New York. It shows that our coaches had a plan, made it work and that the players are settled and ready to deliver.”

Brits said the fact that the Blitzboks are the only team that had already booked their place in next year’s HSBC SVNS Series, courtesy of winning the 2026 series, will be a comfort, but no guarantee to success in the three-tournament World Championship.

“All the other teams are vying for the other seven spots, so they will be playing for survival basically,” he said.

“We need to counter that urgency when we face Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in our pool. As usual, we will not look past that first match against Uruguay on Friday. That mindset worked well for us thus far, so we are not changing that.”

Apart from Brits, Jayden Nell is the other Blitzbok player never to have played at this tournament. In fact, Nell was the final debutant during the series when he flew in from South Africa to replace the injured Christie Grobbelaar for the HSBC SVNS New York tournament.

Nell is still taking it all in, but as he has shown in New York, he ready to contribute when needed: “I think what helped me in New York was that first game against New Zealand, when I was 13th man and did not play, I could experience the match real time with the squad and when I got my opportunity, I knew what was coming.

“My job this time will be the same. As a forward, we need to generate momentum and I am also doing my bit in the lineouts so keen to contribute when I get the chance,” Nell said.

Most Blitzbok tournament appearances in Hong Kong
10 Branco du Preez
8 Chris Dry, Frankie Horne
7 Cecil Afrika, Kyle Brown

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

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The Brazilians secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Espérance thanks to a 51st-minute goal by Brayan León at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi on Sunday.

Sundowns will be hoping to finish the job when they face the Tunisian giants at Loftus Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Cardoso admits that Espérance were a tough team to play against despite the win but has urged his side to shift their focus to the return leg as they look to book their place in the final.

“We played against a very strong team. I think we did well to understand the different moments of the game, the moments in which we played,” Cardoso said as per IOL.

“I think in the first half we played much more with the ball. It brings us closer to the way we want to play. We needed to make some corrections in the second half. I think it was important to do that. We weren’t too far, but we didn’t play the way we wanted to play. We came on very well.

“We scored an important goal. Of course, we had to expect a reaction from a team like Espérance. For us, it was important to continue to look for an opportunity to get to the box.

“But I think, as I said yesterday, the approach in the first half must be even stronger, even more concentrated, even more determined in terms of application and the tactical approach, so that we can take advantage of the result here and, of course, not go to the second match thinking that the work is done, because it’s not done, of course,” he concluded.

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The Glamour Boys extended their winning run to four matches following their 2-0 victory over TS Galaxy at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

The win sees Amakhosi remain in third place in the Betway Premiership standings with 42 points from 22 matches.

Chiefs will be hoping to extend their winning run when they face Magesi FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday evening.

“We need to keep pressure, pressure on everyone, in training and out of training, to recover well, sleep early, and pull in the same direction,” Kaze told the media after the Sunday game.

“The message must be consistent; we can’t relax.

“We need to be better every day and concentrate in every training session; it’s the only thing that will keep us in a good space.”

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Zintle Mpupha and Eloise Webb, who played for the Isuzu Bulls Daisies and Sanlam Boland Dames in last weekend’s Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 final in Pretoria, return to the shorter version of the game as SA coach Cecil Afrika named his squad for the trip to the Far East.

Mpupha played for the national squad this season at the HSBC SVNS 3 tournament in Dubai in January, while Webb last represented the team in 2024, playing her ninth tournament in the season-ending event in Madrid. Both also represented the Springbok Women at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England last year.

Apart from the two experienced players, Afrika also called on the uncapped duo of Jané Mulder and Owami Mohuli for the trip to Hong Kong.

Former SA Under-20 wing Mulder trained with the squad last year and was included in the Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’-side that played in the International Invitational tournament of the Emirates Dubai Sevens in November.

Mohuli, who plays on the wing for the Free State Women, impressed during the recent Pick n Pay WSL and scored three tries in seven outings for the Bloemfontein side.

Shanidiné Bezuidenhout and Maceala Samboya, who helped the team qualify for the World Championship in the HSBC SVNS 2 series, will also get their first taste of sevens rugby on the biggest stage.

The inclusion of the two veterans and two uncapped players is due to a rash of injuries that the squad suffered at the back end of their HSBC SVNS 2 campaign.

The medical reports compiled after the final tournament in Brazil did not make for good reading with five players sidelined, including Nadine Roos, the leading points scorer and team captain, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Roos is joined on the sidelines by Liske Lategan and Shannon-Lee Windvogel, both of whom were operated on last Monday, while Simamkele Namba was ruled out due to a hamstring strain and Patience Mokone with a knee injury.

Furthermore, Vianca Boer, Rights Mkhari and Kayla Swarts are all in the final stages of their rehabilitation, but not yet available for selection, with Leigh Fortuin and Kemisetso Baloyi are scheduled to be back for the latter part of the season.

South Africa have been drawn in Pool B and will face Australia, Canada and Great Britain. New Zealand, Fiji, Japan and Brazil contest Pool A, while USA, France, Spain and Argentina are in Pool C.

The squad depart for Hong Kong on Sunday and according to Mpupha, the most experienced player in the squad, they are ready to make another step up.

“We wanted to be in this position, to be where we can qualify as a core team again,” said Mpupha.

“It is a pity about the injuries as those players would all have loved to be part of the final phase, so we are also representing them next weekend.

“For me, having been in this situation a couple of times now, the message to the younger group would be to keep enjoying what we are doing, playing a sport we love and representing our country while doing so. Coach Cecil (Afrika) has a good plan for us and if we execute well, we will be able to surprise a few teams over there.”

Springbok Women’s Sevens pool schedule (SA times, all matches live on SuperSport):

Friday, 17 April
06h25 Australia
09h12 Canada

Saturday, 18 April
05h04 Great Britain

Springbok Women’s Sevens squad for Hong Kong (with HSBC SVNS records):
#2 Asisipho Plaatjies – 4 tournaments, 0 points
#4 Zintle Mpupha – 12 tournaments, 60 points (12 tries)
#7 Maria Tshiremba – 6 tournaments, 50 points (10 tries)
#10 Byrhandré Dolf – 3 tournaments, 0 points
#16 Shiniqwa Lamprecht – 8 tournaments, 0 points
#19 Shanidiné Bezuidenhout – uncapped
#20 Catha Jacobs – 1 tournament, 0 points
#21 Jané Mulder – uncapped
#22 Owami Mohuli – uncapped
#23 Ayanda Malinga – 8 tournaments, 70 points (14 tries)
#26 Lerato Makua – 1 tournament, 0 points
#27 Maceala Samboya – uncapped
#30 Eloise Webb – 9 tournaments, 7 points (1 try, 1 conversion)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

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WATCH: Pirates Held To Thrilling Draw By Richards Bay

The Natal Rich Boys walked away with a point after playing out to a 2-2 draw against Orlando Pirates at the Richards Bay Stadium on Friday evening.

The draw sees them move up to 10th place on the log with 27 points from 24 matches to move two points off the top eight.

READ: Ouaddou Reflects on Mixed Emotions After Pirates Draw

Zothwane says he was disappointed at conceding late but applauds his players for their tactical discipline, hard work, and resilience against one of the league’s strongest sides.

“Yes, very disappointing to get a draw in the last minute where I felt that we could’ve won the match but again with the quality of Pirates it can happen,” Zothwane told SuperSport TV after the game.

“The fact that they put pressure on the ball, they made them work so much with little bit of space.

“But it happened because we defended for our lives because we saw that it’s few minutes to go but I must give credit to the players, tactical plan it worked and they worked extremely hard.

“We just played and know it’s the next game with the fixture a big team like Pirates it’s competing for the league.

“So, it was very, very difficult but I’m proud of the players for the effort that they put in today,” he concluded.

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WATCH: Pirates Held To Thrilling Draw By Richards Bay

The Buccaneers dropped two crucial points after they played to a thrilling draw at the Richards Bay Stadium on Friday evening.

The draw sees Pirates remain in second place in the Betway Premiership standings with 55 points after 24 matches.

READ: Zothwane: I Felt We Could’ve Won The Match

Ouaddou has acknowledged both the resilience shown by his players and the frustration of dropping valuable points in the title race.

“We knew that it would be difficult here, we know every time we come here the team that we play against Richards Bay is all the time very strong, we knew that it would be difficult when you concede one goal and after you come back, they equalise you,” Ouaddou told SuperSport TV after the match.

“It’s the first time I think we concede a second goal like that and after we come back the guys did everything to come back to win that game, I think there’s a little bit of disappointment because I think’s two points that we lost in this race.

“But you know the guys fight until the end, let’s work until the end like I said. Lots of people will think that it’s over but we don’t like that, we have to play our game until the end. But today I think our strength was not to concede goal to have a lot of clean-sheet.

“But today unfortunately this area was a little bit weak and when you come here and concede two goals it’s very difficult to score three goals here but let’s congratulate the boys with the character because they came back and scored two goals – that’s positive point but I think we lost two points tonight,” he concluded.

The post Ouaddou Reflects on Mixed Emotions After Pirates Draw appeared first on SportsClub.

READ: Ouaddou Reflects on Mixed Emotions After Pirates Draw

Thulani Gumede opened the scoring for Richards Bay in the ninth minute before Oswin Appollis equalised in the 51st minute.

Lindokuhle Zikhali then handed his side the lead in the 58th minute before Lebone Seema scored a 90th-minute equaliser.

READ: Zothwane: I Felt We Could’ve Won The Match

The draw sees Pirates remain in second place in the Betway Premiership standings with 55 points after 24 matches, while Richards Bay moved up to 10th place on the log with 27 points from 24 matches.

Pirates had the chance to go one point ahead of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns but were unable to secure the victory.

WATCH: Richards Bay vs Orlando Pirates

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The Springbok Women will play in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup at the end of May before hosting the USA in two Tests in July, and New Zealand’s Black Ferns in September. Fourteen Tests are planned for the year, but for De Bruin, the focus is to get the new players aligned with the established ones.

Several players involved in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England last year will be in Stellenbosch, but Danelle Lochner and Micke Gunter still have club commitments in England.

Others who will not join their Women’s RWC teammates are either involved with the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad who plays in the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Hong Kong next weekend or are not available due to injury.

Those include Ayanda Malinga, Zintle Mpupha, Lerato Makua, Catha Jacobs, Maceala Samboya, Nadine Roos, Sizophila Solontsi, Aseza Hele and Libbie Janse van Rensburg.

The Isuzu Bulls Daisies dominate the group, but De Bruin also invited players from six other provinces, with performances in the recently completed Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 rewarded by the national coaches.

“We have some injuries amongst our senior players and others are away on sevens duty, so we needed to plan around that,” said De Bruin.

“There were a couple of younger players in the tournament that showed promise and we invited them to have a closer look at their abilities too. It is an exciting time for all of us as we take our first steps towards a bumper season.”

Springbok Women alignment camp squad:
Luchell Hanekom, Roseline Botes, Sinazo Mcatshulwa, Logan Welman*, Abigail Smit*, Thandile Mazwi*, Anothando Khatshwa*, Babalwa Latsha, Anushka Groenewald, Insaaf Levy*, Alichia Arries (all DHL Western Province), Xoliswa Khuzwayo, Ntsako Mbombi* (both Golden Lions Women), Mary Zulu, Nobuhle Mjwara, Lindelwa Gwala (all Sharks Women), Nombuyekezo Mdliki, Aphiwe Ngwevu, Zethu Gcaza* (all Border Ladies), Siphenathi Yeko*, Anacadia Minnaar (both EP Queens), Felicia Jacobs (Sanlam Boland Dames), Sanelisiwe Charlie, Yonela Ngxingolo, Vainah Ubisi, Dineo Ndhlovu, Anathi Qolo, Faith Tshauke, Sinelitha Noxeke, Unam Tose, Jakkie Cilliers, Naima Hlatshwayo*, Chuma Qawe, Shaunique Alexander* (all Isuzu Bulls Daisies).
* denotes uncapped

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

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The stage is all set and will see Durban City FC take on TS Galaxy in the final.

The PSL has since revealed that the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane will host this year’s final.

Durban City made their way to this stage of the competition after they beat Casric Stars 1-0 at the Chatsworth Stadium on April 4.

Galaxy, meanwhile, secured their place in the final after they claimed a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Milford FC at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium on April 5.

The Nedbank Cup final is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 2, with the PSL yet to confirm a kick-off time for the showpiece.

The stage is set ✅@DurbanCity_FC and @TSGALAXYFC will face off in the #NedbankCup final on Saturday, 2 May at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium. 🤩🏟️

Kick-off time is to be confirmed. pic.twitter.com/HR8WND0yN9

— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) April 9, 2026

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The Blitzboks face Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in Pool A of the first of three HSBC SVNS World Championship events, to be held at Kai Tak Sports Park.

“The competitive excellence we are striving for is not just a slogan, it is a reality,” said Nortje as the Biltzboks arrived in Hong Kong on Friday after their long-haul travel from Cape Town via Johannesburg.

“A training session at home is as tough as any match we play. Add the heat in Stellenbosch and the fact we have at least 20 guys eager to make the team for the next event, it is really a competitive environment.

“The nice thing about it is that the players really support and push each other and success to the travelling group also means success to those who stay behind, as it means that they also did their job to get the travelling squad match ready and tournament ready. A win for the guys on tour is a win for the guys at home as well.”

Nortje’s return to the squad took longer than expected, as niggles kept interrupting his progress, but the last couple of weeks were free flowing for the former Junior Springbok wing.

“It is great to be part of the playing squad again and going to Hong Kong makes all the hiccups earlier in the year worth it,” the 23-year-old said.

“It remains one of the most sought-after tournaments for us. I have played here twice before and hopefully it will be third time lucky for us when it comes to winning it.”

Nortje said the results in the HSBC SVNS Series, where the Blitzboks won four out of six tournaments, were good rewards for the sweat and efforts by the players, but they start afresh come the World Championship.

There are solid foundations though. Despite starting the previous tournament – the HSBC SVNS New York – without their season leading tackler, Shilton van Wyk, the Blitzboks still topped the defensive stats with no less that four of them topping up the tackle stats in the USA, where no one made more tackles than Ryan Oosthuizen (16), Sebastiaan Jobb (14), Selvyn Davids (12), and Impi Visser (11) on that weekend.

“It shows how the guys worked for each other. It is not above the individual in this Blitzboks team,” Nortje noted.

Selected Blitzbok stats from the HSNC SVNS Series:

Most points:
90 Shilton van Wyk
72 Ricardo Duarttee
61 Ronald Brown

Most tries:
18 Shilton van Wyk
10 Donavan Don
8 Tristan Leyds

Most tackles:
49 Shilton van Wyk
42 Tristan Leyds
38 Ryan Oosthuizen

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

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