Tristan Leyds wins top award after Blitzboks’ World Championship triumph

Tristan Leyds is the first South African man in a decade to take home the top individual honour on the HSBC SVNS Series. Leyds has been named the 2026 Men’s SVNS Player of the Year in partnership with HSBC, following a remarkable season with the Blitzboks. 

Cecile Afrika became the first Blitzboks player to win the accolade in 2011, receiving the award ahead of nominees Tomasi Cama Jr and Tim Mikkelson. Werner Kok was the next Blitzbok to be crowned the world’s best in 2015, followed by Seabelo Senatla a year later. 

It’s been 10 years since Senatla became a first-player Player of the Year and the Blitzboks have enjoyed successes and tough times during that period. The Boks were seventh on the regular season standings in 2023/24 but have now just become back-to-back world champions. 

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Leyds played a leading role in the team’s dominant HSBC SVNS Series campaign, with South Africa winning four of six regular season events. That included victory at their home tournament at SVNS Cape Town in December, where they beat Argentina by two points in the decider. 

The 29-year-old was recognised as the Player of the Final at SVNS Vancouver and has helped the team carry their dominance in the new-look World Championship. South Africa are the 2026 SVNS World Championship winners, capping off a remarkable individual season from Leyds. 

“The other nominees are phenomenal players. Henry Hutchison, great forward throughout the season. Naduvalo, I think he missed out top try-scorer by three tries,” Leyds told RugbyPass in Bordeaux.

“For me, the thing that got me this award was probably the assists over the season.

“Credit to the team but in that moment [when the award winner was announced], time was standing still. Actually saved my tears because I don’t want to look soft in front of the boys. So I just kept a smile and it was really, really awesome with the boys surrounding me and having this moment to share the award with me.”

World Rugby announced the shortlist for the Player of the Year accolade last week, ahead of the 2026 HSBC SVNS Awards in Bordeaux. Australia’s Henry Hutchison and Vuiviwa Naduvalo from Fiji were nominated with Leyds. 

Those three were all included in the Men’s SVNS Dream Team of the Year in partnership with HSBC. Blitzboks teammate Shilton van Wyk joins Leyds in the side, along with Fiji playmaker Terio Veilawa. 

2025 Sevens Player of the Year Luciano Gonzalez had another standout season, selected as the sole player from Argentina in the Dream Team. The only player in the side is Jeremy Trevvithick from Spain, who turned heads with incredible try-scoring form. 

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson presented the Men’s Rookie of the Year award to New Zealand’s Kele Lasaqa. Ambrose Curtis became the first recipient of the award in 2014 and is the only other All Blacks Sevens representative to have won it. 

Corey Toole collected the award four years ago, nominated alongside fellow future Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch. France scrum-half Antone Dupont and Fiji Sevens great Jerry Tuwai are among the other winners.