South Africa opened their Hong Kong Sevens tournament on a high note, brushing aside giant killers Uruguay 40-7 in their opening game at the new Kai Tak Stadium. Uruguay had beaten the Blitzboks in Los Angeles the last time the two sides met and caused upsets by beating Fiji and New Zealand in recent tournaments, so they were a tricky first opponent for the Blitzboks.
But the Blitzboks took control virtually from the opening salvo, as Quewin Nortje ran hard at the defence, beating one defender before sending Siviwe Soyizwapi over the line with a beauty of an inside pass. Nortje added one of his own - his first of two in the game - before Uruguay got their hands on the ball and attacked for the first time. Their attack saw a loose pass, pounced on by Selvyn Davids, who popped the ball up for Shilton van Wyk to sprint 65 metres and add to the scoreline, leaving the Blitzboks 19-0 up at halftime.
Debut nerves are nowhere to be seen for 19-year-old Gino Cupido, who scored his first try much to the delight of his teammates, who swamped him from the field and bench in celebration. Ricardo Duartee finished the big win off after Uruguay finally got themselves on the board via a try to Alfonso Silva.
The Blitzboks have never triumphed in Hong Kong, with their best finish being runners-up on four occasions. They lost 26-12 to New Zealand in the 2008 final, 26-24 to Fiji in the 2009 final, and also went down 22-0 to Fiji in the 2017 title-decider. South Africa also lost 24-21 to Fiji in 1997 in what was the Sevens World Cup final.
This year’s event is being played at a new venue - the 50,000-seater Kai Tak Stadium - rather than the regular Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay. The Blitzboks will next play Australia at 2:39 PM (CAT, GMT+2) on Friday afternoon, March 28, 2025, followed by a match against New Zealand on Saturday morning, March 29, 2025, at 07:43 AM (CAT, GMT+2).
Rising South African rugby star Gino Cupido is determined to make his mark on the sevens stage with the Blitzboks, starting with the Hong Kong stop on the HSBC Sevens Series. The 19-year-old has taken the less traditional path of sevens over the 15s game in South Africa, but that was only after he was persuaded by experience with the national team. Cupido is now in line to make his debut for the Blitzboks.
He expressed his excitement, saying, “I grew up thinking of myself as a 15s player. In 2023, I went to the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, where I really started to understand the dynamics of 7s. The coaches explained how the program works, and I thought, I’m going to give this a go. I really enjoyed the game because I began to understand it better. The coaches always told us to go out there and enjoy it. That message stuck with me.”
Cupido noted he was focused on his team’s plan and executing the moves they’d practiced to ensure they can perform in pressure situations. “The coaches congratulated me and told me to enjoy myself. The senior players also shared some advice, especially knowing this is my first tournament. They told me to stay calm, and the rest would fall into place. I know there will be nerves, but I just need to stay calm and trust my preparation. The senior players have been great with advice, and I’m ready to step up.”
In other matches, New Zealand won their trans-Tasman battle with Australia 21-12, with the Aussies the next opposition for the Blitzboks. Kenya opened their tournament with a good 19-0 win over Spain before going down to Great Britain 12-7. Kenya faces Olympic Champions France in their final game on Saturday, but will fancy their chances as France lost 12-7 to Great Britain and 19-12 to Spain in their two pool games thus far. Defending series champions Argentina look in sensational form, blowing Ireland away 35-7 and later USA 52-5.
The Hong Kong Sevens is the premier tournament in the SVNS. It’s been featured every year since the World Series circuit started in 1999 and predates SVNS by 23 years. Formerly, it was worth extra series points. That’s not the case in 2025, but Hong Kong remains a prestigious event, drawing some of the biggest crowds and television audiences on the circuit.
This year, the event is held at the new 50,000-capacity stadium, Tak Sports Park. The inspiration behind the Hong Kong Sevens came from tobacco company executive Ian Gow and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, Tokkie Smith. Gow had attended the International Tournament in 1973 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Rugby Union. Gow’s idea was to bring in teams from around the world for a tournament in Hong Kong; Smith suggested sevens would be logistically more convenient.
Fast forward to 2025, and the All Blacks and Black Ferns Sevens are the reigning champions. Fiji had won the men’s event five consecutive times, ending in 2023. Australia was the dominant team in the first decade of the tournament, winning five times in 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1988. Remarkably, it took Australia 34 years to win again. In 2022, Australia stunned Fiji 20-17 in the final to end Fiji’s 36-match winning streak.
Expect record crowds at this year’s tournament, with reports indicating that a staggering 130,000 tickets have already been sold for the three-day event. This means that 2025 will be the biggest edition of the tournament ever and sets the tone for the future.
As the Blitzboks look ahead to their next matches, they are keen to capitalize on their opening win and build momentum in a tournament where they are still seeking their first title. With a blend of experienced players and rising stars like Cupido, the Blitzboks are poised to make a significant impact in Hong Kong.
