Captain Impi Visser says the Blitzboks will field their strongest squad in years at this weekend’s Vancouver Sevens.
The Blitzboks arrived in Canada in confident mood after winning two of the first four tournaments of the 2025-26 SVNS series, including the Perth Sevens last month.
South Africa’s squad includes the return of experienced campaigners such as Selvyn Davids, Ronald Brown and Visser himself, while uncapped Grant de Jager and Gino Cupido – who is playing in just his second tournament – add youthful energy to the group.
“I am feeling fresh and ready,” Visser said after returning to the squad following a break during the Singapore-Perth leg of the SVNS series.
“Obviously, one wants to play in every tournament, but there is a bigger picture as well and the management laid that out to us. The squad is really a strong one and for me, the strongest group we have since the return to competitive rugby after Covid.”
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The Blitzboks tuned up for the tournament with a training match against France earlier this week.
“It was good to get a proper run here and they asked good questions of our defence, and it also gave all of us returning a good opportunity to get back into that level of competition,” said Visser. “The aim is to start strong against Great Britain and build from that.”
The Blitzboks are currently second on the log with two tournaments to play in the normal series.
2025-26 SVNS standings
1. Fiji 70
2. South Africa 66
3. New Zealand 62
4. France 54
5. Australia 54
Blitzboks pool schedule (SA times)
Saturday
vs Great Britain (10:03pm)
Sunday
vs Spain (1:51am)
vs New Zealand (5:40am)
Blitzboks squad – Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser (c), Ronald Brown, Selvyn Davids, Dewald Human, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Donavan Don, Sebastiaan Jobb, David Brits, Tristan Leyds, Grant de Jager, Gino Cupido.
The post Impi: Strongest Blitzboks since lockdown appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
