The Springbok Sevens will play Nigeria at 10h06 on Sunday in the quarter-finals of the Rugby Africa Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe after a commanding display at the Harare Sport Club, winning all three of their pool matches on Saturday. Sandile Ngcobo's team scored 120 points and only conceded 14 in a strong display, which yielded wins over Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Madagascar, with the latter the only team to cross the Blitzboks' tryline. In their opening match against Ivory Coast, the South Africans were a bit rusty with a couple of handling errors, but...

  The Springbok Sevens will play Nigeria at 10h06 on Sunday in the quarter-finals of the Rugby Africa Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe after a commanding display at the Harare Sport Club, winning all three of their pool matches on Saturday. Sandile Ngcobo's team scored 120 points and only conceded 14 in a strong display, which yielded wins over Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Madagascar, with the latter the only team to cross the Blitzboks' tryline. In their opening match against Ivory Coast, the South Africans were a bit rusty with a couple of handling errors, but...

Blitzboks beat All Blacks Sevens, Australia scrape through but France in need of inspiration on day one of series opener. Seven of last season’s top eight qualified for the men’s quarter-finals after day one of the Emirates Dubai 7s, the first event of a revamped HSBC SVNS 2024. Only France, who are expected to be joined by 15s superstar Antoine Dupont later in the series, missed out, while USA were one of three teams to benefit from the introduction of losing bonus points. POOL A: BLITZBOKS ON TOP In a pool expected to be competitive, a slow start nearly cost 2023 series champions New...

South Africa set up triumphal Cape Town return with a fifth tournament win in a row at Dubai to kick off their HSBC SVNS 2024 campaign in emphatic style Selvyn Davids pulled the strings as defending champions South Africa beat Argentina 12-7 in a thumping encounter to claim their fifth straight Emirates Dubai 7s title and kick off their HSBC SVNS 2024 campaign in emphatic style. Impi Visser had already crossed for the Blitzboks when Shilton van Wyk, player of the final in 2022, went over in the fifth minute to take the score to 12-0. Argentina’s Matias Osadczuk cut the deficit to...

  The Springbok Sevens started their 2024 HSBC SVNS campaign on a high note in Dubai, winning the opening tournament of the new look series, beating Argentina 12-7 in a pulsating final of the Emirates Dubai Sevens on Sunday. The Blitzboks, who led 12-0 at the break, clinched a fifth consecutive title at the event and will arrive in Cape Town on Monday with good momentum before the HSBC Cape Town SVNS next weekend. Both assistant coach Philip Snyman and new captain, Selvyn Davids, thanked the effort from all squad members involved in the preparation and gave credit to the good...

It took him six tournaments to get there, but when Masande Mtshali scored his first try in a Blitzbok jersey on Saturday night in Dubai, the 20-year-old forward almost missed this very significant milestone. The Blitzboks are well-known for mobbing a player when he scores his first try, but for Mtshali, it was different as he seemed oblivious to what normally follows. He raced to pick up the ball he left behind the try line, passed it to Ronald Brown for the conversion and raced back to the halfway line for the next play, almost outsprinting those who came to celebrate with him....

  Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo named Tiaan Pretorius as the only new player in his squad for this weekend's HSBC SVNS Cape Town tournament, with the former SA Schools centre replacing the injured Christie Grobbelaar from the squad that won the Dubai tournament last weekend. Grobbelaar injured his ankle in Dubai and was ruled out, with Pretorius, who has played in five HSBC SVNS tournaments, making a first appearance in Cape Town. Ngcobo said he has faith in Pretorius, who adds speed and versatility to the Blitzbok pack. Pretorius, who was schooled at Paul Roos...

The Springbok Sevens will have to beat all-comers at Stade Louis II in Monaco on 21-23 June to earn their Olympic Games Paris 2024 ticket in the final World Rugby Sevens Repechage, World Rugby announced on Friday. The tournament represents the last chance for teams to earn a highly coveted place at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with 22 of the 24 teams confirmed. Just one men’s team and one women’s team will earn the right to line up at the Stade de France in Paris. The prestigious event returns to Stade Louis II in Monaco, which also hosted final qualification events prior to the...

Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo has made several changes to the Blitzbok squad that will travel to Australia on Saturday for the inaugural HSBC SVNS tournament in Perth, the third of eight in the series, where Selvyn Davids will again lead the team into battle. Two players, former Toyota Cheetahs midfielder David Brits and DHL Western Province outside back Tristan Leyds are in line to make their Blitzbok debuts in Perth, while there are also recalls for James Murphy (prop) and playmakers Donovan Don and Ricardo Duarttee, none of whom featured in Dubai and Cape Town last...

  The Springbok Sevens suffered consecutive defeats at the HSBC SVNS Perth on Saturday and will have to contest the fifth-place playoffs at HBF Park on Sunday, the final day of the tournament. The Blitzboks lost their final Pool A fixture 19-5 to series leaders, Argentina, in their first match on Saturday, but still booked a spot in the Cup quarter-finals, where they came desperately close to beating Fiji, but suffered a 14-12 defeat in a match that could have gone either way. With every log point in HSBC SVNS 2024 crucial, the Blitzboks will still need to put their best foot...

Experienced Blitzbok squad for North America  Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo made five changes to his travelling squad for the next two HSBC SVNS tournaments, in Vancouver next weekend and Los Angeles a week later. Impi Visser, Shaun Williams, Rosko Specman, Justin Geduld and Darren Adonis will travel to North America after missing out on the Australian leg in Perth last month, where South Africa finished fifth. Visser, Specman and Geduld played in the opening two tournaments of the 2024 series in Dubai and Cape Town, but Williams and Adonis will make their first...

Blitzboks bounce back in final match in Vancouver The Springbok Sevens team outplayed Australia 24-7 in their ninth-place playoff clash at BC Place on Sunday evening (SA time), outscoring their opponents by four tries to one to finish their HSBC SVSN Vancouver on a high note. The commanding victory will give their confidence a massive boost to as they leave for the USA for next weekend's HSBC SVNS Los Angeles. The win was secured with a strong first half effort. Impi Visser, Shilton van Wyk and David Brits all scored tries with team pivot, Selvyn Davids, pulling the strings in all...

The Springbok Sevens’ ninth place finish in Canada, at the fourth HSBC SVNS tournament of the season, was described as frustrating by the teams head coach Sandile Ngcobo, with the lack of consistency at the top the agenda this week as they prepare for their next assignment in Los Angeles. The Blitzboks left Vancouver with an impressive 24-7 win over Australia to claim ninth place, but for Ngcobo it was too little too late. “We finished the best way possible,” said Ngcobo. “We asked the players to leave a statement and that is what they did. This was a very good win over...

The Springbok Sevens’ ninth place finish in Canada, at the fourth HSBC SVNS tournament of the season, was described as frustrating by the teams head coach Sandile Ngcobo, with the lack of consistency at the top the agenda this week as they prepare for their next assignment in Los Angeles. The Blitzboks left Vancouver with an impressive 24-7 win over Australia to claim ninth place, but for Ngcobo it was too little too late. “We finished the best way possible,” said Ngcobo. “We asked the players to leave a statement and that is what they did. This was a very good win over...

  Murphy joins Blitzboks in Los Angeles James Murphy has linked up with the Springbok Sevens squad in the USA as they prepare for the HSBC SVNS Los Angeles, to be played at Dignity Health Sports Park from Friday to Sunday. Murphy replaced Ricardo Duarttee, who returned to South Africa after the HSBC SVNS in Vancouver due to personal reasons. Murphy last played for the Blitzboks in Perth at the end of January, and should have no problems to slot straight back into the set-up. The 28-year-old forward, who scored 75 points in 18 tournaments, said he is keen to contribute again....

  Murphy joins Blitzboks in Los Angeles James Murphy has linked up with the Springbok Sevens squad in the USA as they prepare for the HSBC SVNS Los Angeles, to be played at Dignity Health Sports Park from Friday to Sunday. Murphy replaced Ricardo Duarttee, who returned to South Africa after the HSBC SVNS in Vancouver due to personal reasons. Murphy last played for the Blitzboks in Perth at the end of January, and should have no problems to slot straight back into the set-up. The 28-year-old forward, who scored 75 points in 18 tournaments, said he is keen to contribute again....

There was much for the home fans to shout about under the Friday night lights as both USA teams recorded crowd-pleasing victories to set up an exciting weekend ahead at HSBC SVNS Los Angeles Opening round of matches completed as the fifth round of HSBC SVNS 2024 began in Los Angeles on Friday Historic day for women’s SVNS with wins for hosts USA, leaders Australia, France, Brazil, New Zealand and Canada Men’s victories for USA, France, Fiji, Ireland, leaders Argentina and Australia Antoine Dupont scores impressive try for France in commanding win over Canada Play begins at 09:30 local...

Star performances and surprise results at HSBC SVNS in LA Spain reaches first-ever men’s HSBC SVNS semi-final as part of an all-European line-up that sees France v Ireland and Spain v Great Britain. Women’s quarter-finals are France v Canada, New Zealand v Ireland, USA v South Africa and Australia v Brazil Spain reach first ever men’s semi-final with comeback victory over Fiji at HSBC SVNS 2024 in Los Angeles All European men’s semi-finals line-up sees France v Ireland and Spain v Great Britain Women’s quarter-finals: France v Canada, New Zealand v Ireland, USA v South Africa,...

Star performances and surprise results at HSBC SVNS in LA Spain reaches first-ever men’s HSBC SVNS semi-final as part of an all-European line-up that sees France v Ireland and Spain v Great Britain. Women’s quarter-finals are France v Canada, New Zealand v Ireland, USA v South Africa and Australia v Brazil Spain reach first ever men’s semi-final with comeback victory over Fiji at HSBC SVNS 2024 in Los Angeles All European men’s semi-finals line-up sees France v Ireland and Spain v Great Britain Women’s quarter-finals: France v Canada, New Zealand v Ireland, USA v South Africa,...

Springbok Sevens gets coaching makeover The Springbok Sevens coaching team has been reformatted and a review of the Sevens department’s structure is being undertaken as a response to disappointing results, SA Rugby announced on Wednesday. Head coach Sandile Ngcobo has returned to the role of coach to the next generation of sevens players, while Philip Snyman (assistant coach) has taken over as head coach of the Blitzboks until the end of July. The changes were made at the suggestion of Ngcobo. The players were advised on Wednesday. The Blitzboks, who had finished in the top two in...