It took him nine tournaments and two seasons – during which he was part of two HSBC SVNS tournament wins – to finally come to terms with rugby sevens and his Blitzbok role, and now, David Brits cannot wait for the new season to start for him to give it his best shot.
The 29-year-old joined the Blitzboks at the end of the 2023 season and made his debut in Perth in 2024, but injuries limited his appearances to only three for the season.
Last season Brits – who won the Carling Currie Cup with the Toyota Cheetahs earlier in his career – had a much more productive year, playing in six tournaments, including the tournament wins in Cape Town and Los Angeles in 2025.
“It took me a while to come to grips with this game and the injuries in that first season did not help, to be honest,” said Brits.
“The past season was much better and after a proper pre-season I am really looking forward to making contributions to this team. In fact, I cannot wait to play, as we really are up for it.”
A centre in fifteens, Brits plays in the forwards in sevens and is fully committed to that role: “It took a while, and I had a serious chat with coach Philip (Snyman) about my role in the team and what he is expecting of me.
“I was trying to be perfect in every aspect of the game, but after out chat, I am now aiming to make one exceptional contribution in my role, rather than being average in all departments. Understanding sevens rugby now, it is much easier,” Brits added.
The Blitzboks have been hard at work at their Stellenbosch base and Brits believes they will deliver the goods this time around in Dubai after having their winning streak broken last year.
“I can honestly say we are ready for Dubai – we have been working so hard over the last couple of weeks, with a squad that are so strong in depth and competitive edge, that I believe we will be hard to beat,” he said.
“Training in very hot conditions also prepares us for the heat one normally experiences in Dubai.”
Brits had a stint with the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in the 2025 Carling Currie Cup season, an experience he enjoyed very much, he said.
“Those guys reminded me what the love for the game really means,” he said.
“Many had day jobs and then came to train at the end of it, yet their attitude remained positive.
“I had to reflect a bit on my approach as well. I always wanted to play rugby for the love of it, but sometimes it becomes a drag. After that Boland experience, I truly appreciate and love rugby again and having come to grips with sevens, I cannot wait to go out there and play for the Blitzboks.”
Then the Mother City awaits and after scoring the winning try in last year’s HSBC SVNS Cape Town final against France, Brits wants to have another go at glory: “Playing in Cape Town is so, so special and I cannot wait to do so again this year.”
The Blitzbok squad for the Dubai trip will be named on Friday.
