He joined the Springbok Sevens set-up straight out of school, so it’s little wonder that the 22-year-old Jayden Nell feels right at home being a newly capped Blitzbok playing in the HSBC SVNS World Championship and winning tournaments while doing so.
Nell joined the Blitzboks in 2023, but a rash of injuries curtailed his early opportunities, with only two appearances for the Springbok Sevens ‘A’ side in the Rugby Africa Sevens Cup in Mauritius in 2024 and 2025 to show for all the pain and effort.
However, in 2026 the former Hoërskool Durbanville prodigy finally had a taste of topflight sevens rugby. This weekend in France, Nell will make a fourth consecutive tournament appearance, and he is determined to keep playing a role in the squad’s winning momentum.
The Blitzboks lead the HSBC SVNS World Championship race with one tournament to go and according to Nell, the road to another title is well laid out for the team.
Reflected on his debut international season that started at the HSBC SVNS New York, where South Africa won their fourth title in six tournaments, Nell said: “We know what to do and it all boils down to how we play together as a team. We have seen this year that if the guys do that, we are a tough team to beat.
“It did feel a bit surreal in the beginning, and I am still pinching myself at times, but then, I have been around the guys for a while now, so it was just a matter of doing what the coaches expect of you and doing your bit.”
The outside back in fifteens is enjoying a productive run as a Blitzbok forward and scored his first try against Spain in last weekend’s tense quarterfinal as the South Africans rallied late to break Spanish hearts in Valladolid.
Such was the nature of the match that there was none of the traditional team celebrations following a maiden try, and Nell also only registered afterwards that it was his first try for the Blitzboks.
“Only when we watched the review, I realised along with most of the other guys that it was my first try, so I asked them to please celebrate with me whenever I score my second,” Nell said with a huge smile.
This could come at any time this weekend against pool opponents Great Britain, Kenya or Fiji, but Nell said the focus will not be on scoring another try, but rather to “stay in the moment” as that will determine a positive outcome.
“We know what we have to do, it is just a matter of going out there and do it,” he said after the squad completed a training run in Bordeaux.
Meanwhile, Donavan Don has joined the Blitzbok squad in Bordeaux following the knee injury sustained by Dewald Human in Spain, which prompted the playmaker’s return to South Africa.
Don played in six tournaments already and was part of the Hong Kong winning squad and his return will be a seamless one. His arrival boosted the squad to 14 players again, with coach Philip Snyman to make a call on Thursday which 13 players will form part of the tournament squad.
Springbok Sevens Pool A schedule (SA times, all matches live on SuperSport):
Friday 5 June:
15h06: Great Britain
20h36: Kenya
Saturday 6 June:
11h06: Fiji