Former Selborne College pupil David Brits is keen to see if the hype around the Cathay Pacific/HSBC SVNS Hong Kong as being the best in the world is true.
In his opinion, nothing beats the South African leg of the World Series, but he is going into the week with an open mind, the Blitzbok forward said.
The decorated 28-year-old is on his first visit to Hong Kong, and he plans to make the best of this opportunity, with the long-anticipated tournament victory also on his “to do list”.
“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 Sevens is the best tournament ever, especially when we play in the final and win, like we did in the last two years, but I am prepared to give Hong Kong a go,” Brits added, still with a wink of the eye.
“I missed out on the tournament the last two years because of injury, which was unfortunate, but that is how rugby goes sometimes.
“This time around I made it, much to my delight, as I can now also play in what will be a huge moment in my sevens career. The fact that we arrive here well prepared makes the wait even more exciting.”
Brits has enjoyed the glory that came with winning the SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles last year and the SVNS Series in 2026, but he said the Blitzboks are starting afresh in the first of three World Championship tournaments.
“We came here with the series behind us, as we now focus on the next challenge,” he said.
“We are very proud of what we achieved thus 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 around, we did not welcome any debutants into our first training session like we had in Cape Town, Singapore, Perth, Vancouver and New York. It shows that our coaches had a plan, made it work and that the players are settled and ready to deliver.”
Brits said the fact that the Blitzboks are the only team that has already booked their place in next year’s SVNS Series, courtesy of winning the 2026 series, will be a comfort, but no guarantee to success in the three-tournament World Championship.
“All the other teams are vying for the other seven spots, so they will be playing for survival basically,” he said.
“We need to counter that urgency when we face Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in our pool. As usual, we will not look past that first match against Uruguay on Friday. That mindset worked well for us thus far, so we are not changing that.”
Apart from Brits, Jayden Nell is the other Blitzbok player never to have played at this tournament.
In fact, Nell was the final debutant during the series when he flew in from South Africa to replace the injured Christie Grobbelaar for the SVNS New York tournament.
Nell is still taking it all in, but as he has shown in New York, he is ready to contribute when needed: “I think what helped me in New York was that first game against New Zealand, when I was 13th man and did not play; I could experience the match in real time with the squad, and when I got my opportunity, I knew what was coming.
“My job this time will be the same. As a forward, we need to generate momentum, and I am also doing my bit in the lineouts – so keen to contribute when I get the chance,” Nell said. - SA Rugby Communications
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