LAST HURDLE: The Blitzboks have already won, so why are they still playing for the title?

South Africa have been the best Sevens team in 2026, but the structure of the sport means Bordeaux – the last leg of the three-tournament World Championship – will ultimately determine whether they are remembered as world champions.

The Springbok Sevens team head to Bordeaux, France, from 5-7 June on the verge of a historic double.

They have had their best run in the HSBC SVNS Series in almost 10 years. After walking away as the 2026 Series winners and making six consecutive finals, they are also the best team on the circuit over the course of these seven months.

But that risks being overshadowed as the entire season now comes down to Bordeaux, the final stop in a three-tournament World Championship series.

If South Africa lose, are they suddenly not the best team in the world?

Let me ask you another question: Can you remember who won the 2024/25 SVNS World Series? Was it Argentina or South Africa?

Because South Africa won, but Argentina actually won the series.

The format for Sevens has changed repeatedly in recent years, with World Rugby introducing another overhaul in 2026. The SVNS Series now determines the season champion and qualification for the following year’s elite division – of which South Africa have automatically qualified because they won the series – while the separate three-event World Championship is designed to crown the overall world champion.

That is why South Africa could claim to be world champions in 2025, because they did win the season-ending tournament in Los Angeles last season.

However, Argentina won the series, topping the standings with 104 points across six tournaments (excluding Los Angeles).

In contrast, South Africa managed only 70 points and failed to finish higher than fourth in four out of six games.

“It’s a difficult one to answer,” head coach Philip Snyman told Daily Maverick when asked for his view on the changes. “On the circuit, it’s only the top eight, so the matches are a lot more competitive, but I was a big fan of 16 teams, giving everybody the opportunity. It showed in the past when Kenya was still on the circuit, they won tournaments and on a good day they could beat any team.

“It’s between a rock and a hard place at the moment,” he continued. “Sevens is my life, not part of my life, it is my life, and hopefully they can grow the game and make sure we reach the standard that we want to.”

The Blitzboks still have a very good chance to walk away as victors this weekend. They currently lead the World Championship standings on 38 points, four ahead of Argentina and eight clear of Australia.

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