CAPE TOWN – The Springbok Sevens etched their name into history with a commanding 35-7 victory over Argentina to claim the HSBC SVNS Hong Kong title on Sunday, ending a 50-year wait for gold at one of rugby sevens’ most iconic tournaments.
The Blitzboks were clinical in the final, outscoring Argentina five tries to one in a dominant display.
Tries from Tristan Leyds, Selvyn Davids (2), Ryan Oosthuizen and Shilton van Wyk, along with accurate kicking from Leyds and Ronald Brown, sealed a memorable triumph.
Earlier, Blitzboks had produced another strong performance to beat New Zealand 26-14 in the semi-final, setting the tone for a remarkable finish.
This victory marks the first time the Blitzboks have lifted the Hong Kong crown since the inception of the HSBC SVNS Series in 1999, making it a truly historic achievement in a year that celebrated 50 years of sevens rugby.
Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman was emotional after the win: “Yes, I’m a little bit speechless, to be honest, and I know we still have two tournaments to play, but tonight we’re definitely going to press the pause button,” he said.
“We waited 50 years for this opportunity and this moment. So I’m incredibly proud of the boys.”
Reflecting on the journey, Snyman added: “On Friday night, we had a massive team meeting and a good chat – and I guess all stories had to have some sort of interesting story inside it.”
HISTORY MADE 🇿🇦 🏆
A first EVER title at @OfficialHK7s for the @Blitzboks #HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSHKG pic.twitter.com/tMyHuCipNy
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 19, 2026
“So, definitely a fairytale ending towards this tournament and incredibly proud of the players and especially this last game to manage to beat probably one of the most consistent teams over the last couple of years, Argentina, very quality team,” he continues emotional Snyman.
“Not once did we speak about winning Hong Kong, obviously, there was always hopes and dreams and belief, but there was this calm feeling inside the team… So New Zealand and now Argentina are incredibly proud – massive day for Springbok Sevens.”
At long last, champions of Hong Kong! 🏆🇿🇦 #Blitzboks #HSBCSVNS #PoweredByUnity pic.twitter.com/pUwKIUA6J6
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) April 19, 2026
Image: @Blitzboks/X.com
