Blitzboks captain Impi Visser says he’s proud of his side for turning things around after a disappointing day one to break their Hong Kong hoodoo.
South Africa claimed a historic first Hong Kong Sevens title with a commanding 35-7 win over Argentina in the final, but it followed a rocky start to the tournament with a narrow win against Uruguay and a heavy defeat to Spain.
“We came back from a dark place on Friday night as that defeat hurt, as suddenly doubt started to creep in,” Visser said. “But we had a good chat and turned it around like I expected the guys to do.
“There is massive fight and pride in this team, and it showed once we were under pressure.”
Visser said the squad shifted their mindset after that setback.
“We realised the focus should be on creating and assisting in a try rather than thinking of the celebration of it and we turned it around,” he said. “That big win over Argentina on Saturday laid the foundation for the rest of the tournament.
“Today was a showcase of what we are capable of.”
The skipper said the achievement would live long in the memory.
“We broke the hoodoo in Hong Kong and can finally call ourselves champions here and that is amazing. I am just so proud of the boys because we achieved something special today.”
REPORT: Blitzboks finally conquer Hong Kong
Coach Philip Snyman admitted he was overwhelmed after finally conquering the one title that had eluded South Africa.
“I’m almost speechless,” he said. “There is a massive feeling of pride and gratitude at this moment. We waited so long for this, and I am happy we finally did it.”
Snyman praised the team’s response after their early stumble.
“We just reminded everyone who we are, what we represent and what we came to do,” he said. “The book on Hong Kong 2026 might not have had six perfect chapters, but what a great ending to the story.”
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He added that the manner of their performances on Sunday stood out.
“The way we came back from that stutter was exceptional, especially today when we played against two very good teams in New Zealand [in the semi-finals] and Argentina. We were so clinical and effective in everything we did.”
Despite the milestone, Snyman insisted the job is not finished.
“Four tournament wins from four is amazing and we are enjoying it, knowing it will not last forever,” he said. “For now though, we are enjoying it and feeling very proud of what we have achieved so far.”
The Hong Kong event was the opening leg of the SVNS World Championship, and will be followed by tournaments in Valladolid and Bordeaux.
The World Championship action keeps on coming
Next stop: Valladolid
#HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/IJ7vTanQiL
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 19, 2026
The post Impi: Blitzboks came back from dark place appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Blitzboks captain Impi Visser says he’s proud of his side for turning things around after a disappointing day one to break their Hong Kong hoodoo.
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