Blitzbok boss Philip Snyman ready to shift into match mode this month

The Blitzboks played in a local tournament, the Fast Forward Sevens, in Stellenbosch last weekend and then departed for a team-building and culture session in Caledon.

They will return to their Stellenbosch Academy of Sport base on Monday, with all focus on the Emirates Dubai Sevens, to be played on 29-30 November, before returning to South Africa as defending champions of the HSBC SVNS Cape Town tournament at DHL Stadium.

"This was a good block for us," Snyman said after the Caledon outing.

"We needed to get some game time in the legs, especially to get the guys who returned from their fifteens duties back on track with our plays, while it was very productive for those players who trained with us for the first time.

"For that, the tournament we played proved vital and I am very happy how that went for us. We also had Germany here in this block and played 12 matches against them, helping to get us into shape."

The Blitzboks are well-respected for their team culture and Snyman said their value system was properly discussed and accepted by the group during the Caledon session.

"It is a player-driven system and we are lucky to have a strong leadership group with a lot of experience playing on the circuit as well," the Blitzbok coach said.

"I am also fortunate to have Renfred Dazel around, as he will be assisting me this season. His input and technical knowledge is immense and as a former Blitzbok himself, he drives the value system hard too."

Snyman will return on Monday with his next challenge, to decide which combinations to select for the opening tournament, where the Blitzboks, as defending World Champions, will face Olympic gold and silver medalists France and Fiji, as well as Argentina, who finished top of the standings last season.

"One of the main aims for this season is to expand our selection base with the eye on the 2028 Olympics and that remains the case," he said.

"Our squad is ageing and we need to adapt to that. I also wanted to give myself more options in selections, especially amongst the forwards and I am happy where we are.

"Instead of three, I can now select from at least ten players to start the match in the forwards, exactly the position I wanted to be in at the start of the season," Snyman added.

READ MORE: Allez Les... Vert? French publication names PSDT the best player in the world