Dubai SVNS 3: BlitzBok Women target seat at top table
PREVIEW: Women’s teams from Argentina, Colombia, Czechia, Mexico, Poland, Samoa, South Africa and Thailand, and men’s teams from Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong China, Italy, Madagascar, Samoa and Tonga, will all be competing for strong performances in World Rugby’s new three-tier sevens system.
The top two men’s and women’s sides this weekend will earn promotion to a three-event HSBC SVNS 2 series in Nairobi, Montevideo and Sao Paulo, taking place in February and March. There, they will face established sevens nations, including Kenya, Uruguay and the USA, providing a strong test for all sides.
Across the series, 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams will vie for a top-four finish to secure a place in the elite HSBC SVNS World Championship Series. The winner-takes-all championship will feature 24 teams across stops in Hong Kong (April), Valladolid (May) and Bordeaux (June).
After successfully defending their Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens title in Kenya in November 2025 in style, the BlitzBok Women are ready to take on the world in Dubai this weekend.
The two-day tournament marks their first step towards reclaiming their place at the top table via the SVNS Division 3 Tournament.
Victory in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, two months ago secured South Africa’s qualification for SVNS Division Three, where they have been drawn in Pool A alongside Mexico, Czechia and Thailand.
With only the two finalists in Dubai on Sunday earning promotion to SVNS 2 in Kenya, the stakes are high for the women from southern Africa.
South Africa won a record 13th continental title in Kenya last November, sweeping to victory without conceding a single point throughout the entire tournament.
The challenge will be far tougher in Dubai this weekend, where the BlitzBok Women launch their quest to re-establish themselves among the world’s leading teams in the shorter format of the game.
The team will also face three opponents with very different approaches to the game in Pool A on Saturday.
But for SA coach Cecil Afrika, that added challenge is something they prepared for, and apart from looking at what their opponents will do, their focus will also be inward to execute their style of play.
“It is going to be an interesting pool, as all of Mexico, Czechia, and Thailand have a different playing style and approach to the game,” said Afrika.
“We will focus on our first outing against Mexico to lay a proper foundation, but we also have to be ready for what comes afterwards.
“Mexico is unpredictable in what they do, so they will test us in that regard. They are quick on their feet and play very quickly, and often look for inside passes when on the attack. We are looking forward to that first challenge.”
Their next outing, against Czechia, will be a very physical affair, according to Afrika: “They play with a high intensity, and the last year, when we played them in Cape Town, they came close to beating us, so they will have that added motivation. They have big, fast players and they will test our defence in a different way than Mexico would have done.”
The SA coach reckons the final pool match against Thailand will be about outsmarting their defence: “They have very good tackle technique and go in low. They are very precise in their structures and love to play with a high intensity as well. Their speed at the breakdown is also worth mentioning, so we need to be ready for that.
“We are really looking forward to this weekend. We prepared well back home in South Africa and this week here in the desert city of Dubai. We know what we need to do and we are ready,” he added.
Afrika has opted for continuity, naming the exact same squad that lifted the African title in Nairobi last November.
South Africa need to make it into the Final in order to qualify for the next stage of the Challenger Series, three HSBC SVNS 2 tournaments to be played in Nairobi (February 14-15), Montevideo (March 21-22) and Sao Paulo (March 28-29).
BlitzBoks Women’s squad for Dubai:
#1 Leigh Fortuin
#2 Asisipho Plaatjies
#3 Patience Mokone
#4 Zintle Mpupha
#7 Maria Tshiremba
#9 Nadine Roos (captain)
#10 Byrhandré Dolf
#12 Liske Lategan
#14 Simamkele Namba
#15 Vianca Boer
#16 Shiniqwa Lamprecht
#23 Ayanda Malinga
Pool schedule (SA times):
Saturday, January 17:
09.06: Mexico
12.22: Czechia
15.38: Thailand
