Ryan Oosthuizen to Celebrate 50th Cap as Blitzboks Head for Grand Finale

Oosthuizen was named in the Blitzbok squad to play in the Grand Finale, where South Africa will face Ireland, Fiji and New Zealand in pool play, having missed the previous tournament in Singapore.

Ryan Oosthuizen will mark his 50th appearance for the Springbok Sevens team at the HSBC SVNS in Madrid next weekend. The final tournament of the 2024 season will be held at the Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium from 31 May to 2 June.

Oosthuizen, named in the Blitzbok squad after missing the previous tournament in Singapore, replaces Zain Davids in the forwards. Interim head coach Philip Snyman also made changes to the backline, with Justin Geduld replacing the injured Dewald Human and Shaun Williams coming in for Shilton van Wyk.

Geduld will be playing in his 60th tournament for the Blitzboks, while Williams, who last competed in Hong Kong, will be utilized on the wing and as a sweeper, adding versatility and experience to the squad.

The Blitzboks aim to continue their winning streak in Spain, having secured consecutive victories in Malaga and Seville in 2022. Snyman emphasized the importance of the squad selection for the upcoming Olympic repechage, while also focusing on winning the Grand Finale.

"Zain and Shilton will be conditioning back home over the next two weeks, but they remain crucial for our Olympic qualification efforts," said Snyman. "Having Ryan back is great, and Shaun and Justin bring their own magic to the tournament. It’s an exciting and capable squad."

Shilton van Wyk will miss the first two matches due to suspension from a red card in Singapore. Snyman highlighted the need to manage Selvyn Davids' workload, given his extensive playtime throughout the season.

Each pool match will be a significant challenge, with South Africa set to face Ireland, Fiji, and New Zealand. Snyman remains confident, citing the team’s strong performances in Hong Kong and Singapore.

"The Grand Finale is a challenge we relish," he said. "Facing top teams early is tough, but we’ve shown we can progress unbeaten."

The Blitzboks aim to finish the season strong and secure Olympic qualification, with Snyman confident about their prospects. "We have turned the ship and are in a position to win the Grand Finale and qualify for the Olympics. We still have so much to play for."

Pool Fixtures:

Friday, 31 May

14:37: Ireland

Saturday, 1 June

12:44: New Zealand

15:49: Fiji

Springbok Sevens Squad for Madrid:

Christie Grobbelaar - 20 tournaments, 155 points (31 tries)

Ryan Oosthuizen - 49 tournaments, 220 points (44 tries)

Impi Visser - 38 tournaments, 200 points (40 tries)

Tiaan Pretorius - 7 tournaments, 15 points (3 tries)

Selvyn Davids - 36 tournaments, 662 points (85 tries, 117 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

Shaun Williams - 16 tournaments, 157 points (25 tries, 16 conversions)

Siviwe Soyizwapi - 52 tournaments, 755 points (151 tries)

Rosko Specman - 35 tournaments, 466 points (86 tries, 18 conversions)

Justin Geduld - 59 tournaments, 1119 points (118 tries, 264 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

Tristan Leyds - 4 tournaments, 52 points (8 tries, 6 conversions)

Dylan Sage - 27 tournaments, 165 points (33 tries)

Quewin Nortje - 5 tournaments, 70 points (14 tries)

Katlego Letebele - 7 tournaments, 5 points (1 try)