'I am ready': Gino Cupido prepared to capitalise on mesmeric 2025

Gino Cupido is ready to get back on the HSBC SVNS Series and double down on his mesmeric 2025 in Blitzboks and Junior Springboks colours.

Last year the 20-year-old helped South Africa Under-20s to World Rugby U20 Championship success in Italy and helped South Africa Sevens win the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles.

Earlier in the year Cupido made his Blitzboks debut in Hong Kong and scored four tries at the tournament.

Having now made his senior DHL Western Province debut in the Currie Cup, the powerful back now hopes to gain selection for Singapore and Perth as the 2025/26 HSBC SVNS Series season resumes.

“I really love playing for the Springbok Sevens,” Cupido told springboks.rugby. “It is a wonderful team to be part of, the team spirit is great and as they have shown in Cape Town recently, they are capable of winning under huge pressure. I would love nothing more than to go out and play with them.”

Due to injury Cupido was unavailable for selection at the start of the new HSBC SVNS campaign.

Instead he had to watch from afar as the side have topped the table with a fourth-place finish in Dubai and consecutive titles in Cape Town.

Ahead of Singapore the Blitzboks have been named in Pool A with Fiji, Great Britain and Spain.

Most recently Cupido got much-needed reps against Kenya, who continued their preparations for HSBC SVNS 2 with a trip to Stellenbosch.

“Yes, the injuries were a bit of a let down as I wanted to get back into the team after winning the world title with the Junior Boks as well,” Cupido said. “Now, I am ready and it will be very rewarding for me if I get selected.”

Siviwe Soyizwapi has also returned to fitness for Snyman’s side. Ronald Brown, Selvyn Davids, Dewald Human and Quewin Nortje are not fit for the tournaments in Singapore and Perth.