The Blitzboks, leading 12-0 at halftime, secured their fifth consecutive title at the event and will arrive in Cape Town on Monday with positive momentum ahead of the HSBC Cape Town Sevens next weekend.

Assistant coach Philip Snyman and the new captain, Selvyn Davids, expressed gratitude for the effort from all squad members involved in the preparation and credited the supportive Dubai crowd.

The Blitzboks arrived in Dubai without Head Coach Sandile Ngcobo, who missed the trip for medical reasons. However, Snyman was quick to acknowledge Ngcobo’s significant role in the successful defense of their title.

“Coach Sandile deserves a lot of credit for preparing the squad so well over the last couple of months,” said Snyman. “The rest of our management also deserves this win; everyone went above and beyond, including our High-Performance Manager, Marius Schoeman, who traveled with us to assist where needed.”

Snyman praised the players, highlighting their readiness to play six tough matches in a very competitive pre-season.

“The way they worked, focusing on defense, also demonstrated their willingness to work off the ball and cover each other’s backs, which is a wonderful thing for coaches to see,” noted Snyman.

Impressed by the players’ actions on the field, Snyman commended their commitment to their words.

“They said they were going to do it and backed that up with a wonderful performance over the last two days. They showed a lot of character, so all credit to the players,” added Snyman.

The coach also applauded newcomers Quewin Nortje and Katlego Letebele, noting that the healthy competition within the squad is pushing both young and old players.

“They bring energy to the group, and when you add that to the calm heads and experience of the older players, it’s a good formula for success. We said we want to write a new book this year, and the first chapter was a good one.”

Selvyn Davids, triumphant in his debut as captain, emphasized the healthy competition within the squad, pushing everyone to work hard and maintain honesty.

“It’s a challenging team to be selected for, as many talented players back home could have been here as well,” he noted. “We push each other, and that’s beneficial. I want to thank those in Stellenbosch for this victory; it’s for them too. They put in the same effort as we did to make it happen.”

Davids credited the Dubai heat for aiding the Blitzboks’ performance, feeling at home with the support from the local crowd. The team outplayed Australia and Fiji before facing Argentina in the final.

In the final, two first-half tries proved decisive for the Blitzboks, establishing a 12-0 lead and forcing Argentina into catch-up mode, resulting in rushed decision-making and errors. The Springbok Sevens’ robust defense added to the challenge for the defending champions.

Impi Visser broke through tackles for the first try, capitalizing on good blindside play. Visser received an inside pass from Selvyn Davids and powered over the line. Although the wide conversion was off target, South Africa was on the scoreboard.

The second try was exceptional, with Davids delivering a magical delayed pass from a set piece to a charging Shilton van Wyk. The outside centre raced to score under the poles, and Justin Geduld’s straightforward conversion extended the lead to 12-0.

The second half started evenly, but when Ryan Oosthuizen received a yellow card for a late tackle, Los Pumas seized the opportunity. Matias Osadczuk outworked the stretched South African defense to score, and Santiago Mare’s conversion narrowed the lead to five.

South Africa’s determined play almost led to another try, but Rosko Specman was tackled into touch on the corner flag. With seconds left, Argentina conceded a penalty, allowing South Africa possession and a kick into the crowd to initiate the celebrations.

The Blitzboks secured their fifth consecutive final by beating Fiji 14-7 in a dramatic semi-final. The decisive win came late in the clash when Masande Mtshali scored his second career try.

In the quarterfinal, the Springbok Sevens scored four tries in a 24-7 victory over Australia. Holding a 12-7 lead at halftime, South Africa showcased a strong performance with tries from Quewin Nortje, Zain Davids, Rosko Specman, and Ronald Brown, confirming their path to the final.