Reynders backs Blitzboks' upward curve ahead of Singapore SVNS challenge

THE SPRINGBOK Sevens team are turning the page on their historic Cape Town triumph and setting their sights on another demanding test when the HSBC SVNS Singapore kicks off this weekend, with forward Zander Reynders confident the Blitzboks are trending in the right direction.

Fresh from lifting the trophy on home soil last month, the South Africans departed Cape Town on Monday for the long journey to Asia, knowing past success will count for little at the National Stadium in Singapore.

Reynders, who has already tasted victory three times in the green and gold, believes the condensed nature of the series raises the intensity even further.

“With only eight teams playing over six tournaments, you face the same opponents regularly, and you know what to expect,” said Reynders. “The margins are extremely small, and even the first match can feel like a quarter final. What we did in Cape Town will not help us now. We have to start from scratch.”

The Blitzboks have been drawn in a tough pool against Great Britain, Spain, and Fiji, all teams capable of punishing any lapse in concentration. Reynders expects every match to be fiercely contested as the series enters a critical phase.

South Africa’s history in Singapore has been mixed, with tournament wins in 2004 and 2019, but Reynders has a more personal connection to the venue. It was there last year that he scored his first try for the Blitzboks, despite the tour following a disappointing Hong Kong campaign.

“It was not an easy trip emotionally,” he recalled. “We did not perform as we wanted in Hong Kong, and things did not click in Singapore either. This time I am hoping for much better feelings and results.”

The squad includes two newcomers, Renaldo Young and Luan Giliomee, and Reynders has taken it upon himself to help them settle into life on tour.

“I was a rookie myself last year, so I know the small things that can make it overwhelming, even something like where to sit at meals,” he said. “I try to stick close to them and make the transition easier. We already sat together at our last meal in Cape Town, and I will show them the ropes once we arrive.”

With the team landing in Singapore on Tuesday and competition starting on Saturday, preparation time will be limited to training sessions and video analysis. Still, Reynders has set himself a lighter off-field mission during the brief stay.

“I promised my in-laws I would bring back tea from Singapore,” he laughed. “There is a famous shop that stocks teas from all over the world, so on our day off that is where you will find me.”

For now, though, the focus remains firmly on rugby, as the Blitzboks aim to build on their momentum and prove their upward curve continues on the world stage in Singapore.