It will be almost four years to the day when a bright-eyed 21-year-old Shilton van Wyk ran onto the pitch at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai, representing the Springbok Sevens for the first time on the international stage.
Six tournament victories out of eight played is no mean feat, but for Ryan Oosthuizen, another go at glory at the Emirates Dubai 7s tournament this weekend could not come quick enough.
Eleven players involved in their season-ending HSBC SVNS World Championship victory in Los Angeles in May will be part of the Springbok Sevens squad for the 2026 HSBC SVNS opener in Dubai next weekend, while Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman added experienced stalwarts Christie Grobbelaar and Donavan Don to his team.
It took him nine tournaments and two seasons – during which he was part of two HSBC SVNS tournament wins – to finally come to terms with rugby sevens and his Blitzbok role, and now, David Brits cannot wait for the new season to start for him to give it his best shot.
Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman expressed his satisfaction with the progress of his squad’s HSBC SVNS pre-season preparations on Thursday, as they finished their final condition block before the 2026 season kicks off.
Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman congratulated the Springbok Sevens ‘A’ squad for their effort and application as they claimed the Rugby Africa Sevens Cup in Port Louis on Sunday.
Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman heaped praise on his squad after a commanding weekend of sevens rugby displayed at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles, with the Blitzboks finishing as the only undefeated side and crowned winners on Sunday.
It will be a tournament with no second chances, of clinical execution and most importantly, an opportunity where the Springbok Sevens team can deliver a performance that will do their season justice.
The Springbok Sevens’ 2025 season had it all: a rare home win in Cape Town, a losing final appearance in Vancouver, a fourth-place finish in Perth and some less flattering results in Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
SA Rugby mourns the passing of Norman Mbiko, the last captain of the African Springboks and a former head coach of the Blitzboks, who passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the age of 79 after a long illness.