Blitzboks into another SVNS Cup Final but ‘bogey team’ stands in the way

South Africa are through to another HSBC SVNS decider after beating Argentina 19-7, but their “bogey team” stands in the way of glory. The Blitzboks were the top-ranked World Championship side ahead of SVNS Valladolid and will extend their lead regardless of the Cup Final result.

Sebastiaan Jobb and Ricardo Duarttee touched down for a try each as the Blitzboks took a lead into the business end of the contest. South Africa controlled possession in the dying stages and were rewarded, with Ryan Oosthuizen sealing the result with a 14^th-minute effort.

The Blitzboks were crowned regular season champions and carried that dominant form into the World Championship, winning the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens for the first time. They have given themselves yet another opportunity to claim silverware.

But the Blitzboks will need to overcome a confident Australian side, who are the last unbeaten team standing at SVNS Valladolid. Australia handed South Africa their sole defeat of the event so far during the pool stage, setting the stage for another instalment in this already fierce rivalry.

“Obviously they beat us in the pool stages, they beat us in New York so they’ve been a bit of our bogey team. They’re a quality side we really need to fix our errors, look after the ball, make our tackles, just play quality rugby,” Oosthuizen told RugbyPass in Valladolid.

“The past two days we weren’t happy with our performances… when the pressure is up, then we perform. But when you go through motions, it’s almost like we don’t pitch up. It’s probably a mental thing we need to focus on and get over with.

“Luckily when the crunch time is there we pitch up. It’s not gonna be easy against Australia, we really need to pitch up and bring our A-game.”

Australia punched their ticket to the big dance with a  21-14 win over Fiji in the first men’s semi-final, with three-time Olympian Henry Hutchison running in a double. James Turner also got on the scoresheet as the men in gold claimed a statement result.

With Argentina, Spain, New Zealand and Fiji bundling out before the Cup Final, the big dance in Valladolid features the first and sixth ranked sides on the World Championship standings. South Africa will increase the gap between them and second, regardless of the result.

“It’s quite boring, we always say we focus on the next game so it’s probably boring for you news reporters but really it is like that,” Oosthuizen said.

“All focus on Australia. If we can beat them, then obviously we’ll extend our lead over Argentina. That will put us in good stead to do the last [event] in Bordeaux.”

Australia have plenty to play for ahead of SVNS Bordeaux next week, which is the final stop of the season. If they get the job done against the South Africans, they will receive maximum points and surge as high as possible up the ladder.

The World Championship winners will be crowned in Bordeaux, while the top eight will earn core status for the 2026/27 SVNS 1 season. But the four sides that finish in the bottom four will be left to fight their way back up from the second division next season.