The Springbok Sevens will start the new season as defending HSBC SVNS World Champions, but for Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman, it will not be a year of protecting their title at all cost.
Rather, according to Snyman, another holistic approach can be expected from one of the country’s finest export products over many years, with the Blitzboks hoping to again combine growth and building blocks with success and glory on some new playing pitches across the globe.
The new season structure was confirmed recently, while World Rugby also announced that the world series will return to Cape Town, where the Blitzboks will defend their title at the DHL Stadium on 6 and 7 December.
“The new dates and venues for the 2026 circuit fits nicely in our original plans, so I am looking forward to the season,” said Snyman, adding that they are determined to win their home tournament again, like they did last season.
“We have two more training blocks before I will confirm the roster for the season. The fact that we are already working hard towards the season is a clear indication of our intentions. Cape Town remains the best tournament for us and doing well at home is very important objective to coaches and players alike.”
Following their tournament victory in Cape Town, the Blitzboks claimed bragging rights at last season’s HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles and are proudly wearing that belt as they prepare for the nine tournaments in the 2026 season that again promises to deliver action, drama and entertainment in spades, all provided by some of the finest athletes in the world.
There is a change in format with eight men’s and eight women’s team contesting the first six tournaments in what Snyman predicts will deliver some outstanding rugby.
“We have our eyes on the next Olympics, so a lot of what we are doing now is based on planning for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles,” said Snyman, who won Olympic bronze as a player (2016) and coach (2024).
“We are looking at another season where we will continue our pathway of combining some of our best junior players and emerging stars from the Varsity Cup with our experienced core of sevens standouts with the sole aim of growing our system into something we all can be proud of.
“What worked well for us in our pathway programme was the induction of Junior Springbok players as well as standouts from the FNB Varsity Cup, something we needed to do after our Academy programme closed, and it has worked well.
“Look at Gino Cupido, who is a double world champion, in sevens and U20, and we will again have the likes of Siyabonga Ndlozi and Joel Leotlela, who will step up this season, no doubt.”
Snyman also pointed out Rowan Malgas, who excelled playing FNB Varsity Cup, and Grant de Jager, with the Maties star playing himself into a professional contract after joining the squad on a trial basis.
“We are awaiting the return of some players who did duty in the Carling Currie Cup as well,” he said.
“There is a good relationship between us and those coaches and as we released players to play provincial rugby, we will call up some of them when they not in competition.”
Christie Grobbelaar, who was named in the Hollywoodbets Sharks squad for the Vodacom URC, will return to Stellenbosch on 1 November.
Argentina, Australia, Fiji, France, Great Britain, New Zealand and Spain will all try to topple the Blitzboks in Cape Town, while in the women’s tournament Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and USA will battle it out.
Tickets for the HSBC SVNS Cape Town are on sale already, from as little as R250 per person per day, and can be purchased from Ticketmaster.
2026 HSBC SVNS tournaments:
- 29-30 November: Dubai
- 6-7 December: Cape Town
- 31 January-1 February: Singapore
- 7-8 February: Australia (venue TBC)
- 7-8 March: Vancouver
- 14-15 March: USA (venue TBC)
- 17-19 April: Hong Kong
- 29-31 May: Valladolid
- 5-7 June: Bordeaux
Pop Bee
Sport Trivia: Graeme Pollock is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. What was his test batting average when he retired?Answer: 60.97. He made his Test debut at the age of 19, and in just 41 tests he scored 2484 runs at an average of 60.97, with five centuries and 15 fifties. He also captured 47 wickets at an average 39.55 runs per wicket. Sadly, his test career was cut short when, at the age of twenty six, an international sporting ban was imposed on South Africa as a result of Apartheid. He was arguably the greatest left-handed batsman the world has yet seen.
Crash Override
Sport Trivia: What is the sound that traditionally starts the Comrades Marathon? Answer: The sound of a cock crowing. Prior to 1948, a regular starter\’s gun was used but then a new tradition was started when the race official at the time, Max Trimborn, loudly imitated a cock\’s crow. This tradition has been continued with a recording of Trimborn being used to start the race.