We spoke with Blitzboks captain at the HSBC Singapore SVNS 2023, Selvyn Davids, as the South African men’s 7s team tries to strive for better consistency as they enter a crucial tail end of the season, and experienced players have been brought in to try and bolster the team.
The SVNS Series this year has tried to embrace and promote the festive vibes at each leg of the tour, how do you and the other players feel about that- is it something the players have embraced?
Selvyn Davids: I think it’s good to have that festival vibe at the tournaments it’s getting the vibe up more and for the players – it helps create a good atmosphere during the tournaments.
The festival angle has also been targeting different age groups and a younger demographic. How do you feel about being a role model and interacting with fans around the world?
Selvyn Davids: It’s good for the youngster as they are the future, to keep the SVNS Series going and take the tour a level up. To be honest, I am a bit of an introvert, so interacting for me can be a bit tough and a challenge but I like doing it and it is nice to chat with the youngsters to get their points of view.
I know that many guys want to play 15s rugby, but Sevens is a wonderful sport and the kids love it and enjoy it & it’s a much quicker game. With Sevens, even though it’s maybe not as popular as XVs yet, it’s getting there.
In Asia especially, it’s hugely popular and with the Olympics being the big carrot at the end of this season – how are you focussing on targeting reaching the Paris 2024 Olympics and ending these last two rounds in Singapore and Madrid on a high?
Photo Credit: World Rugby / Mike Lee – KLC fotos
Selvyn Davids: I think we need to focus on consistency, which has been our problem all season long, to maintain that consistency. We need to focus on our roles and responsibilities as individuals and stay within the system that we have created within this team.
If we stick to the game plan we can be successful, and I dont mean we win everything or even this tournament, but each of us fulfilling our roles.
And this weekend in Singapore, you have some old heads back in the side – how is it to have those players back?
Selvyn Davids: It is always good to have more experience and with Shakes (Siviwe Soyizwapi), Rosco (Specman) and Dylan Sage it is good, it will help me stay calm too as the captain.
It will be tough with the hot conditions here in Singapore but thankfully it’s indoors, and we need to embrace it and we do love it, as this is what we came here to do. We can’t have any excuses and this is where the whole squad will be needed. We need all 13 players here and we will need to rely on each other and make sure we stay tight to pull through.
Chasing The Olympic Dream – Paris 2024
How do you maintain the focus and goals for this season with the remaining tournament and the Olympic Repechage in Monaco?
Selvyn Davids: We have secured the top 8 place so we will be in Madrid which was one of the goals, but we need to stick to our guns and stay focused and fix that consistency and take it from here in Singapore to Madrid and of course the Repechage which is hugely important.
Everyone wants to play in the Olympics if you have the opportunity – this is the biggest sporting event in the world so for us to qualify would be major – but we can’t focus on that now, we need to focus on this weekend.
Philip Snyman – Rebuilding Success For The Blitzboks
Photo Credit: World Rugby / Mike Lee – KLC fotos
Philip Snyman was the captain of the Springbok Sevens when they won the HSBC SVNS titles and achieved Olympic and Commonwealth Games podium finishes. Now as the head coach of the Blitzboks, he said “We have a couple of experienced campaigners back in Siviwe Soyizwapi, Dylan Sage and Rosko Specman, while the inclusion of Tiaan Pretorius and Tristan Leyds will add some exciting game-breaking abilities.”.
Tiaan Pretorius is the nephew of Kwagga Smith, the double Rugby World Cup Winner with the Springboks and a former Blitzbok, who currently plays in the JRLO with the Shizuoka Blue Revs.
“But what excites me the most is the starting line-up that was retained from Hong Kong, where we topped the pool and made the quarter-finals. I am confident that the new players coming in, vastly experienced and skilful as they are, will add to the skill set we already have in the core group. I don’t think our goal to top the pool and then make it into at least the top four is unrealistic,” said Snyman.
He also is looking longer-term: “We want to use this opportunity in Singapore to get much-needed momentum and confidence to go into the next two big tournaments for us, the Grand Finale in Madrid at the end of the month and then the Olympic repechage in Monaco in June.
If we can get going here in Singapore, as I believe we can, we will go to Madrid and Monaco with some form and Paris 2024 can become a realistic goal.”
SA Men fixtures – HSBC Singapore SVNS 2024
Friday 3 May
- SA 31-7 Spain
- SA 15-10 Samoa
Saturday 4 May
- SA vs France
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