Springbok Sevens co-captain Zain Davids is poised to take the field for his 50th World Sevens Series tournament in Perth on Friday morning.
An honour and a privilege as Zain Davids joins an illustrious group of only 10 #Blitzboks - more here: https://t.co/nEkfNb3AHr 💚💛#PoweredByUnity #HSBCSVNS
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) January 22, 2025
The milestone not only highlights Davids' enduring passion for rugby’s shorter version but also positions him among an elite group of Blitzboks who have reached this significant milestone. At just 27-years-old, Davids debuted on the international stage in Wellington in 2017, a day he describes as one of the greatest feelings of his life.
“Making my debut was still the greatest feeling as it was the first time I lived my dream of representing my country on the rugby field.”
“Making my debut was still the greatest feeling as it was the first time I lived my dream of representing my country on the rugby field,” he reminisced.
However, he acknowledged that reaching this 50-tournament milestone is almost as exhilarating.
“This time, playing in my 50th, that feeling will be pretty close to my debut as I never, ever thought it would be possible. And yet, here I am.”
As he prepares to lead the team alongside fellow forward Impi Visser, Davids expressed his heartfelt connection to the game.
“The greatest joy will be that I still love every moment of it.”
“The greatest joy will be that I still love every moment of it. I am playing for such a great team with such a great bunch of guys,” he added. “I have the opportunity to play for my country, I play for my family and our great supporters.”
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Davids’ career has been nothing short of remarkable. He's won an Olympic bronze medal and Commonwealth Games gold, and clinched several Series titles along the way.
As the team heads to Perth, they carry both the weight of Davids’ milestone and the ambition to replicate their success from the previous tournament in Cape Town, where they secured victory last December. While the occasion is significant, the burly forward emphasised that the Blitzboks have a clear objective.
“We have come here to win.”
Starting with matches against the USA (8.23am) and hosts Australia (1.52pm) on Friday and rounding up against the reigning league champions, Argentina (7.50am) on Saturday, the squad is determined to build on their momentum.
“We have come here to win. We want to go up a notch and improve our effort from Cape Town.”