Experienced Blitzbok squad named for season opener in Dubai

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.

Snyman tweaked his leadership group as well, with Impi Visser taking over the captaincy from Selvyn Davids, who will share vice-captain responsibilities with Zain Davids, as they look to a good start to the season with the ultimate goal to successfully defend the title they won in spectacular fashion in California six months ago.

Player of the Final in Los Angeles, Shilton van Wyk, will again torment defences in the outside channel with Mfundo Ndhlovu, while Don, outstanding for the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in the recent Carling Currie Cup, joins the duo to form a dynamic outside back trio.

Grobbelaar, who returns to the fray after representing the Hollywoodbets Sharks in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship last month, will add tournament winning experience to the forwards, an area Snyman hopes they will dominate in a tough pool with Fiji, Argentina and France.

“Playing in the Vodacom URC is a very high level of rugby, so I am happy to have Christie back and Donavan was just outstanding in the Currie Cup,” said Snyman.

“They slotted back in very well, so I am expecting them to provide some magic in Dubai.”

Despite the luxury of having most of his championship winning squad available for the season opener, Snyman said on Friday it was tough to settle on his final squad, as the pre-season delivered fierce competition for team slots, with numerous contenders pushing for the trip to the Emirates Dubai Sevens.

“Team selection for this tournament was very tough,” Snyman said as the team closed out their preparations at their Stellenbosch Academy of Sport home base.

“There are four or five guys who can really count themselves unlucky for not making this trip, but in the end I had to make a call based on time on the field in pre-season.

“We have some injuries as well. Gino Cupido, Quewin Nortje and Siviwe Soyizwapi will only be back in January, while Masande Mtshali just missed out due to a recent hamstring strain.”

With regards to the adjustment of his captain, Snyman said it was a practical decision: “Selvyn is such a key player for us and we wanted to free him up from any added pressures and I want him to just be the brilliant playmaker he is, without any extra burden.

“Impi has all the experience in the world and Zain or Selvyn will take over when he leaves the field. Our leadership core is very strong, but there is also the reality that the squad is ageing and we need to build in all areas, including leadership.”

Snyman said he is planning on broadening his selection base in 2026.

“We are lucky that we have some serious talent coming through and my planning is to give several new players opportunities this season,” he said.

“The 2028 Olympics seem a long way off, but the long term planning for that is already in action.

“I plan to rotate the players in the opening six tournaments and once we hit the three tournaments in the World Championship Series, will look at consolidating the squad.”

The team will depart for Dubai on Monday.

Springbok Sevens squad for Dubai (with HSBC SVNS stats):

#1 Christie Grobbelaar – 23 tournaments, 170 points (34 tries)

#2 Ryan Oosthuizen – 56 tournaments, 230 points (46 tries)

#3 Impi Visser (captain) – 46 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)

#4 Zain Davids – 53 tournaments, 245 points (49 tries)

#5 Ricardo Duarttee – 19 tournaments, 296 points (23 tries, 89 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

#7 Ronald Brown – 20 tournaments, 425 points (43 tries, 105 conversions)

#8 Selvyn Davids – 42 tournaments, 737 points (96 tries, 126 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

#12 Shilton van Wyk – 27 tournaments, 260 points (52 tries)

#13 Mfundo Ndhlovu – 19 tournaments, 125 points (25 tries)

#15 Donavan Don – 9 tournaments, 59 points (11 tries, 2 conversions)