'It’s about more than just qualifying': Roos previews SVNS 3

Nadine Roos has not underestimated the importance of Springbok Women’s Sevens’ HSBC SVNS 3 campaign in Dubai.

This weekend the 2024 South Africa Women’s Player of the Year will captain her country as they aim for HSBC SVNS 2 qualification.

A top two finish in the eight-team competition will qualify South Africa for HSBC SVNS 2, which takes place between February and March in Kenya, Uruguay and Brazil.

Finishing in the top four of that competition will gain teams a spot at the HSBC SVNS World Championships and a shot at HSBC SVNS Series qualification.

“The biggest pressure is, of course, qualifying for the world series,” said Roos.

“This is not only important for sustaining the current sevens programme, but also for shaping the future of the programme in South Africa. It’s about more than just qualifying – it’s about building a structure that ensures long-term success.”

Named in Pool A, South Africa will contend with Mexico, Czechia and Thailand on Saturday before progressing to the knockout rounds on Sunday.

For the tournament Springbok Women’s Sevens coach Cecil Afrika has selected the same squad that travelled to Kenya for the Africa Women’s Sevens Championship two months ago.

“We are a team that flow well; we know exactly what is expected of us and we have a job to execute,” said Roos.

“As a group, we have set our goals, and the ultimate objective is to win the tournament.

“However, we are very process-driven, so our immediate focus is on the opening match against Mexico. We want to set a high standard in that first game.

“From there (following the Mexico game), our focus will shift to each subsequent match.

“We intend to treat every game as a final because we understand the stakes and what is required to reach the championship match.”