In-form Blitzboks in confident mood ahead of Vancouver SVNS, says Snyman

Snyman was speaking after the team completed their preparations for the tournament, where the Blitzboks will look to build on their recent success, including a victory in HSBC SVNS Perth last month â” their second win in the four tournaments played so far in the current series.

He noted that results in the World Rugby Sevens Series are never guaranteed, but said there is strong belief within the squad that they can stay on the right side of results in Vancouver.

"We have a strong, experienced squad here in Canada, we prepared well and everyone is rearing to go, so we are hoping for a good weekend," said Snyman.

"That said, our opponents this weekend in pool play, Great Britain, Spain and New Zealand, are all here with the same aim and ambitions, so we will have to be clinical and sharp if we want to claim any victory. There just is no easy game anymore and if you're off your game, you are in trouble.

"Great Britain is improving all the time, we saw them turning over big-name teams in recent tournaments, while Spain, who finished second in last year's series, have some of their more experienced players back and will be a handful.

"New Zealand can also turn it on at any time and beat us in our last outing in Singapore. So, it's going to be a tournament where we will have to be at our best to get the results we want."

Snyman said the return of some experienced players such as Selvyn Davids, Ronald Brown and Impi Visser will improve their competitive and will offset the inexperience of the uncapped Grant de Jager and Gino Cupido, who is playing in his second tournament.

"We selected them for a reason though, as both have very good qualities and I believe the senior guys will provide the necessary calm to them, said Snyman, who confirmed that Donavan Don will sit out this tournament, which the Blitzbok coach won as captain in 2019.

Visser, the 2026 captain said he is raring to go after being given a break for the Singapore/Perth leg.

"I am feeling fresh and ready," said Visser.

"Obviously, one wants to play in every tournament, but there is a bigger picture as well and the management laid that out to us. The squad is really a strong one and for me, the strongest group we have since the return to competitive rugby after COVID."

The Blitzboks played in a training match against France earlier in the week and Visser said that helped them: "It was good to get a proper run here and they asked good questions of our defence, and it also gave all of us returning a good opportunity to get back into that level of competition. The aim is to start strong against Great Britain and build from that."

Springbok Sevens squad for Vancouver

Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser (captain), Ronald Brown, Selvyn Davids, Dewald Human, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Donavan Don, Sebastiaan Jobb, David Brits, Tristan Leyds, Grant de Jager, Gino Cupido.

Vancouver pools

Pool A: South Africa, New Zealand, Spain, Great Britain

Pool B: Fiji, Australia, Argentina, France.

Blitzboks pool schedule (SA times)

Saturday 7 March

22h03: Great Britain

Sunday 8 March

01h51: Spain

05h40: New Zealand

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