Despite falling short on the final day in Bordeaux, the Blitzboks finished the season as both HSBC SVNS Series champions and World Championship winners.
Bordeaux, France (08 June 2026) – The Blitzboks may have left Bordeaux without a medal on the final day of the HSBC SVNS World Championship, but their place in the history books was already secured.
South Africa completed a rare double in the 2026 season by winning both the HSBC SVNS Series title and successfully defending their World Championship crown.
The numbers tell their own story. The Blitzboks reached six finals across nine tournaments, lifted five titles and finished the season with 37 wins. That’s more than any other side on the circuit.
For head coach Philip Snyman, those achievements are the result of months of hard work, commitment and a squad that bought into a shared vision.
“I am so very, very proud on this team, and to win both the World Series and the World Championship is a special feat indeed.”
The coach pointed to South Africa’s historic triumph in Hong Kong as one of the defining moments of the campaign.
“The fact that we won the Hong Kong tournament for the first time ever was probably the highlight of the World Championship, and along with playing in the final last weekend, that laid the foundation for us to retain our World Championship status.”
While the Blitzboks fell short of their usual standards in Bordeaux, Snyman said the work done throughout the season ensured they arrived in France with their destiny firmly in their own hands. The season also brought individual recognition for several South Africans.
Tristan Leyds was named Men’s Player of the Year after another standout campaign, while speedster Shilton van Wyk finished as the leading try-scorer for the season and earned a place in the tournament Dream Team.
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Orlando Pirates Win to Reach African Football’s Big StageSnyman believes Leyds fully deserved the honour.
“He joined us over two years ago and has quickly grown into a senior player, someone who worked really hard to upskill himself to the demands of sevens rugby, while also remained a positive squad member.”
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Although South Africa’s campaign ended with defeats to France and Spain on the final day in Bordeaux, the bigger picture remains impossible to ignore.
The Blitzboks leave France as world champions once again, SVNS Series winners and owners of one of the finest seasons ever produced by a South African sevens side.
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