From an established Blitzbok to Under-20 prospects, six Hollywoodbets Sharks players will train with the reigning HSBC SVNS Series and World Championship champions ahead of the new season.
Sharks representation stretches across the senior squad and development pathways as the reigning HSBC SVNS Series and World Championship champions prepare for the 2026/27 season.
The Sharks will have six players represented in the Springbok Sevens extended training squad as the Blitzboks intensify preparations for the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS season.
Christie Grobbelaar, Ceano Everson, Chijindu Okonta, Jean-Henri Smit, Luan Williams and Lizwe Mtetwa have been included in the 38-player training group assembled by head coach Philip Snyman ahead of the new international campaign.
The selections represent the breadth of talent within the Sharks system, with players from the senior United Rugby Championship squad, Sharks XV and the club’s junior structures earning opportunities to train within the national sevens environment.
Grobbelaar, an established Blitzbok, provides the international experience, while Everson and Okonta represent the senior squad. Smit’s involvement follows his progression through the Sharks XV, Currie Cup and Under-21 structures, with Williams and Mtetwa representing the club’s Under-20 pathway.
It is an encouraging reflection of the talent being developed within the Sharks system and the opportunities available to players to pursue international rugby.
The Blitzboks: The Standard-Bearers of World Rugby Sevens
The opportunity comes at a particularly significant time for the national sevens team.
The Blitzboks enter the new season as reigning champions of both the HSBC SVNS Series and the World Championship, having completed a remarkable double in 2026.
South Africa claimed five tournament victories during the season, reached six finals across nine tournaments and recorded 37 victories, more than any other team in the competition.
Their success included memorable tournament victories in Cape Town, Perth and Vancouver before they secured the overall HSBC SVNS Series title in New York, defeating Fiji 10-7 in the final.
The Blitzboks subsequently retained their World Championship crown, reinforcing their position among the leading forces in international sevens rugby.
It has been a remarkable period for a team that has consistently competed against the very best in the abbreviated format, with the likes of Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and France among their principal international rivals.
The challenge now is to sustain that success while continuing to develop the depth required to compete across an increasingly demanding international calendar.
Building for the Next Challenge
With the opening tournament of the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS season scheduled for Dubai on 28 and 29 November, followed by the Cape Town tournament on 5 and 6 December, preparations are entering their final stages.
Snyman has assembled an extended group that includes the majority of the players responsible for the team’s success during the previous campaign, alongside emerging talent from the domestic game.
The head coach has indicated that the first six tournaments of the season will provide an important opportunity to build squad depth and positional cover ahead of the 2027 World Championship events.
Those events will carry additional significance, with final placings determining qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The 38-player training group will therefore provide an opportunity for emerging players to impress, while established internationals continue to prepare for another demanding season.
Snyman is expected to name his 13-player squad for the opening Dubai tournament on 20 November.
A Pathway to the International Stage
For the Sharks, the six selections highlight the value of maintaining a strong player-development pathway and creating opportunities for talent at different stages of their careers.
From Grobbelaar’s established international experience to the opportunities afforded to players progressing through the club’s junior structures, the representation demonstrates the different routes through which Sharks players can access the national rugby environment.
The involvement of Everson, Okonta, Smit, Williams and Mtetwa also provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience within an elite international programme, exposing them to the demands, standards and expectations of one of the world’s leading sevens teams.
As the Blitzboks prepare to defend their titles and continue building towards the next Olympic cycle, the Sharks Rugby Club is proud to see six representatives earning the opportunity to be part of that journey.
Congratulations to Christie, Ceano, Chijindu, Jean-Henri, Luan and Lizwe.
