While the achievement has been widely celebrated, Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman was quick to stress the bigger picture remains firmly in focus – this is a milestone, not the finish line.

Snyman knows better than most what Hong Kong means. As a former player and captain, he lifted World Series titles across the globe, but never in the sport’s most iconic arena. That made the emphatic 35-7 demolition of Argentina in the final, at the Kai Tak Sports Stadium, all the more special.

“I’m almost speechless,” said the former Cheetahs winger, Snyman.

Tristan Leyds was named the Player of the Final. Photo: World Rugby

“There’s an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude. We’ve waited a long time for this, and to finally get it right is incredibly rewarding. This moment belongs not just to the players here, but to everyone back home who played a role in getting us to this point.”

Despite the magnitude of the victory, Snyman made it clear the squad would keep their feet on the ground.

“We’ll take tonight to enjoy it and reflect, because it’s something special. But we know there’s still work to be done. It took 50 years to win here – that says everything about how tough this tournament is.”

The road to glory was far from smooth. A shaky start to the campaign, including a disappointing showing against Uruguay and a loss to Spain on Friday, forced some honest conversations within the camp.

“We had to remind ourselves who we are and what we stand for,” explained Snyman.“It wasn’t a perfect tournament – not every chapter went our way – but the way we finished, that’s what people will remember.”

From there, the Blitzboks flipped the switch. They surged through the knockout stages, dispatching the New Zealand national rugby sevens team before delivering a clinical masterclass in the final.

The Blitzboks outclassed Argentina with a 35-7 victory in the Hong Kong 7s final. Photo: World Rugby

“The response after that wobble was outstanding. To produce performances like that against top sides like New Zealand and Argentina shows the quality in this group. We were sharp, decisive, and incredibly effective –exactly what you want at this level.”

The victory also marked a remarkable run of form, with the South Africans claiming four tournament wins on the bounce, a feat Snyman believes should be savoured, even if it won’t last forever.

“It’s an incredible run, and we’re enjoying it while it lasts. Results like these come from hard work and alignment, and right now we’re in a really good space.”

Captain Impi Visser echoed his coach’s sentiments, describing the triumph as a defining moment for the squad.

“I’m unbelievably proud of the boys. This is something we’ll carry with us forever. Hong Kong has always been that one missing piece, and now we can finally say we’ve conquered it.”

Visser admitted their early stumble served as a wake-up call.

“That loss to Spain hit us hard. It forced us to confront a few things, and for a moment, there was doubt. But we had an honest chat and backed ourselves to respond – and the guys did exactly that.”

He credited the team’s resilience and mindset shift for their turnaround.

“There’s real fight in this squad. Once we were under pressure, we simplified things – focusing on creating opportunities rather than overthinking moments. That big win over Argentina on Saturday gave us belief, and from there we just built momentum.”

Sunday’s performance, he added, was the perfect example of what the Blitzboks are capable of when everything clicks.

“The coaching staff has done a fantastic job in shaping this group into a competitive, hungry unit. Today was a statement.”

As for their red-hot winning streak, Visser insisted there would be no complacency.

“We’ll stay grounded and keep doing the basics right. The hard work is paying off, and there’s no reason to change that now. We’ll reset, get back to work, and push just as hard in the next two tournaments.”

The Blitzboks have now won the last four tournaments on the bounce in the Sevens World Series, and the next assignment will be the Valladolid Sevens from 29 to 31 May in Spain.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek  dg