‘The past counts for nothing’: Blitzboks look ahead to Hong Kong Sevens

As the final preparations commence for arguably the biggest weekend in SVNS rugby, defending men’s champions South Africa are hungry to make a big splash in Hong Kong as they chase a title defence.

The Blitzboks finished the 2025-26 regular season of the HSBC SVNS World Series on top of the leaderboard, and need a strong showing in the new-look three-leg world championship series to retain their title, beginning this weekend in Hong Kong.

With the South Africans traditionally one of the best supported sides in the famous tournament, the men’s side is expecting that to only explode – especially with the women’s side also joining them after a successful SVNS 2 campaign.

Zain Davids, who is set to play his 58th HSBC SVNS tournament in South African colours, has focused on helping head coach Philip Snyman try to keep the side focused, with the Blitzboks’ regular season form counting for little with the ladders all rewound back to zero.

The veteran is also hungry to make an impact, having been rested from the Vancouver and New York tournaments.

“We are starting this Championship at the same venue and with no log points,” Davids said to Rugby365.

“What happened in the past counts for nothing, but what happens this weekend will.

“We have never won here, but that is not consuming us.

“What we want is to be on the same page, execute our game plan as one, and take it one game at a time.

“I am fit and ready for this one. I’m feeling refreshed and keen to get another trophy win.

“We enjoy playing in the Hong Kong tournament, where there is a lot of South African support. In a way, if we go all out and finish on top, it will be as much for them as for us.”

At the other end of the spectrum, David Brits will be experiencing the Hong Kong SVNS for the first time.

The Blitzbok, who has missed out on the tournament the past two years due to injury, has been eying off Hong Kong as something on his “to-do list.”

Speaking with TimesLive, Brits spoke how the tournament is held in high regard by South African Sevens, with the 28-year-old expecting the three days to live up to the hype.

“Everyone is raving about this tournament, and from what I saw on TV in the past there is certainly a hype,” said Brits.

“I am in a lift club with Ryan Oosthuizen and he speaks with great respect of the tournament.

“For me personally, the Cape Town SVNS is the best tournament, especially when we play in the final and win like we did in the past two years. But I am prepared to give Hong Kong a go.”

Brits believes that the side is ready to rise to the challenge, and to finish the job of defending the title when the finals get underway on Friday.

“We came here with the series behind us, we now focus on the next challenge,” he said.

“We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but that is in the bank, and we are ready to start creating new memories for the group.

“It was quite telling that this time we did not welcome any debutant into our first training session as we had in Cape Town, Singapore, Perth, Vancouver and New York.

“It shows that our coaches had a plan, made it work and the players are settled and ready to deliver.”

The Blitzboks will kick off their campaign against Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in the pool stages of the tournament.