Overview
- The SVNS has been slimmed to eight teams, making every pool match effectively knockout in intensity and demanding precise execution from the start.
- South Africa travel with a 13-player squad captained by Impi Visser, retaining 11 members from last season’s Los Angeles final for experience in tight moments.
- Ryan Oosthuizen returns for his 57th tournament on 46 career tries after last year’s Dubai concussion, targeting a seventh title at the venue.
- The Blitzboks open against France in Dubai before pool clashes with Argentina and Fiji, with only the top two advancing to the semi-finals.
- Players report a demanding pre-season and aim to start fast in Dubai, with the series moving to Cape Town on 6–7 December.