Next weekend, Ryan Oosthuizen will celebrate a significant milestone by representing the South Africa Blitzboks for the 50th time in the HSBC SVNS in Madrid.
The final tournament of the 2024 season will take place at the Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium from 31 May to 2 June, where the Blitzboks will compete in the Grand Finale.
Oosthuizen, who missed the previous tournament in Singapore, returns to the Blitzbok squad, replacing Zain Davids among the forwards.
His return is the only change in the forward lineup. In the backline, Springbok Sevens interim head coach Philip Snyman has made additional adjustments:
Justin Geduld comes in for the injured Dewald Human, and Shaun Williams replaces Shilton van Wyk.
Geduld is set to make his 60th tournament appearance for the Blitzboks, while Williams, who last played in Hong Kong, will take on dual roles as a wing and sweeper.
The squad, rich in versatility and experience, aims to continue their impressive run in Spain, having won both tournaments in Malaga and Seville in 2022.
Snyman explained that team selection was influenced by both the immediate goal of winning the Grand Finale and the longer-term objective of preparing for the Olympic repechage.
“Zain and Shilton, who will do some conditioning back home in the next two weeks, are still very important to our final push towards the Olympic qualification,” Snyman said.
Expressing his excitement about the squad’s potential, Snyman highlighted the return of Oosthuizen and the inclusion of Williams and Geduld: “It is great to have Ryan back amongst the pack, and Shaun and Justin will bring their own magic to the tournament, so it is an exciting and capable squad.”
Shilton van Wyk, currently suspended after a red card in Singapore, will miss the first two matches, leading to his decision to stay home for conditioning alongside Zain Davids.
“The two of them have played in all seven tournaments and most of the minutes as well, so they can do with the rest,” added Snyman.
The workload of Selvyn Davids will also be managed carefully, considering his extensive playtime throughout the season.
“We are taking an extra sweeper with us to Madrid, and that will give Shaun an opportunity and some valuable game time,” said Snyman.
Facing a challenging pool lineup with matches against Ireland, Fiji, and New Zealand, Snyman is optimistic about the Blitzboks’ prospects.
“Yes, it is the Grand Finale after all. Facing Ireland on day one and Fiji and New Zealand on the second day just to get into the semi-finals is a nice challenge, but we have shown in Hong Kong and Singapore that we can get out of pools unbeaten.”
Snyman emphasized that the season is far from over and the team remains focused on their goals. “I think we have turned the ship. We are in a position to win the Grand Finale and then qualify for the Olympic Games. Those are two pretty big things on our radar, so we still have so much to play for.”
As the Blitzboks head to Madrid with determination and confidence, Ryan Oosthuizen’s 50th cap will be a momentous occasion, symbolizing both personal and team milestones in their quest for glory.
