The Blitzboks are back in Stellenbosch preparing for the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Valladolid, Spain (May 29-31), carrying the momentum of their 35-7 final win over Argentina in Hong Kong — the first time South Africa has won the tournament since the event was established as a standalone leg.
The victory ended a long-standing bogey at the so-called home of sevens. South Africa's only previous Hong Kong final appearance came at the 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens, where they were beaten by Fiji.
Sweeper Ronald Brown was measured in his assessment of what the win means going forward. "The win that eluded so many Blitzbok sides was huge and we are all so relieved the bogey is no more," he said. "More importantly from that win, though, was the way we achieved it. We again realised that if we play the way our coaches have prepared us, we are a hard team to beat."
Brown also flagged the mental dimension of the Hong Kong campaign, noting the squad's slow start on day one before finding their level. "It was also a mental win for us — we started poorly on day one but once we applied our minds, success followed. That was another reminder that we need to be ready, not only physically but mentally too."
In Valladolid, South Africa have been drawn in Pool A alongside Australia, Kenya and Great Britain. Pool B comprises Argentina, New Zealand, Uruguay and Germany, while Pool C features Spain, Fiji, France and the United States.