Why players love the Cape Town leg of HSBC SVNS Series

Cape Town is one of the premiere stops on the HSBC SVNS Series – for players as well as fans. 

Gamedays are electric, – South Africans really know how to put on a party – and the action on the pitch is matched by the packed stands of singing and dancing fans. 

However, gamedays are only the cherry on top of the cake of what has long been an unforgettable week for the players who travel to the tip of Africa. 

Combining the gamedays and week build-up to the tournament, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better all-round experience on the HSBC SVNS series. 

It all starts when you step off the plane and collect your bags. You’re greeted with the warmest of welcomes as a full band and choir sing traditional songs. 

The vibes continue as you arrive at the team hotel, where the staff gather for every team’s arrival to sing and welcome them to Cape Town. After the long flight from Dubai, you just know you’re going to have the best week with the warmest hospitality. 

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The number one priority on every team’s agenda is recovery. 

Dubai Sevens was the week before, so it’s paramount to rejuvenate player’s bodies, ready to go again on the weekend. 

A lot of teams take a short bus journey up and over the hill to enjoy one of the most stunning views on the cape, Camps Bay. Even though the sun shines, the water is often icy cold –  perfect for refreshing muscles for the big week ahead. 

After a quick shower in the hotel, teams often venture down to the V&A Waterfront. This is a perfect stop for a coffee, a few games of cards and stocking up on biltong from one of the market stalls. Looking back towards the hotel and seeing Table Mountain and Lion’s Head towering above the city is always a pinch-me moment.

There were always plenty of moments like this for me during the week in Cape Town. 

Every school we trained at would have a unique view of Table Mountain rising above the rugby field. Add in the rolling clouds which drape themselves over the mountain, you’d struggle to find a more scenic backdrop. 

By now teams have been on tour for nine to 11 days straight, so they often take the chance to head to a local restaurant midway through the week. 

It’s a chance for some team bonding – and to try the local cuisine. 

If you go to South Africa, check out the steak houses. They often have a butcher’s counter on site so you can pick the weight of your chosen cut of meat. It’s then cooked to perfection – I’ve had some of the most memorable meals of my life there. 

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Players often have a day off on Wednesday or Thursday – and there are plenty of down-time options in Cape Town. 

You can catch a ferry over to Robben Island where you can learn about the humbling history of Nelson Mandela’s incarceration for 18 years of his 27-year imprisonment. 

The island offers panoramic views of Cape Town. We did the captains’ photos here one year – unfortunately, the crossing back to the city was so choppy that more than one of us was sick off the back of the boat. 

If you drive down the Cape, you’ll arrive at Boulders Beach, famous for being the home to a unique and endangered land-based colony of African Penguins. The birds have to be viewed from broadwalks to protect them from the tourists but it is still an incredible sight and experience. 

Staying closer to the hotel, you can head up through the colourful neighbourhood of Bo-Kaap with its narrow streets and brightly painted houses. 

You will pass the impressive Lion’s Head peak on your way to Signal Hill. This is my favourite view in Cape Town: from here you can see Table Mountain, the city as it stretches off for miles into the distance and then directly down into the stadium. It’s a great spot at sunset for a jersey presentation, as it makes for epic photos. 

A tour to Cape Town would not be complete without a trip to Table Mountain. The Aerial Cableway to the top is a very impressive piece of engineering as you ascend at such a sharp angle to the top of the mountain. As the gondola spins around it’s easy to see which members of the teams aren’t necessarily the best with heights. 

The views from the top are, simply, breathtaking. Until you’re up there, it’s hard to comprehend the size of the mountain and on a clear day you can see for miles in every direction. There is a walkway at the top, which allows you to see the communities that hug the mountain. 

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I thought it couldn’t get any better once I’d stood at the top of Table Mountain – but one year we had the chance to go up in a helicopter and circle the Cape. 

Our 30-minute flight gave me a whole new perspective on Cape Town and the surrounding area. It was fascinating to see how nature and the city flowed around one another. 

After the Rugby Sevens World Cup in 2022 we got to stay in Cape Town for a few days. 

We took the chance to head up to some of the vineyards that surround Table Mountain. If you’re travelling as a fan, I would highly recommend adding this to your itinerary. 

For me, Cape Town is one of my favourite stops on the HSBC SVNS tour and I hope it comes here for many more years to come. I loved it as a player – and I can’t wait to go back as a fan!