Sebastiaan Jobb admitted that his time in the rugby sevens wilderness due to an injury-plagued past 24 months “was a dark space to be in” mentally, and is eager to embrace his second chance.
The 25-year-old Springbok Sevens wing will run out in his first tournament in almost two years at this weekend’s Vancouver SVNS in Canada. It is the fourth stop in the 2025 world series.
“I’m just excited to be getting the opportunity to wear the jersey again,” Jobb said, after the Blitzboks arrived in Vancouver for the weekend’s tournament.
“What I’ve reflected on over the past few years or few months was if that was my last opportunity in a Blitzbok jersey in Singapore 2023, then I think I wouldn’t have been happy with it. So, every time I put on this jersey now I just try and make the best of the opportunity because you never know when it’s going to be your last.”
The former Junior Springbok suffered a range of injuries over the past 24 months after making his debut for the Blitzboks in 2023.
He is fit and firing again, and is keen to contribute to the team he so dearly loves to represent. The speedster admits that he was desperate to get back.
“This time around I want to make the best of the opportunity. The team expect of me to score tries and I have my eye on a couple of those,” he said.
“We really want to leave the jersey in a better place and I have this opportunity now to work towards that.”
Playmaker Tristan Leyds is equally pumped to be back in action for the Blitzboks after missing out on the previous tournament in Perth due to an injury.
“It is never nice to miss out on a tournament, especially when the guys do well,” said Leyds from Vancouver. “We had one or two small mishaps in Perth when we lost concentration at crucial times, but we worked on those and will be ready in Vancouver.”
Leyds was a star of the tournament victory in Cape Town in December.
“It was definitely a special victory in Cape Town and over the big break I was a bit in rehab. I missed out on Perth with a wrist injury. But just excited to be back with the boys,” he said.
“Sitting at home is not always easy, watching the boys. But happy to be back and get the ball rolling.”
He said they cannot wait to play this weekend: “The competition in the squad is great and that helps a lot to keep us on our toes.
“There are guys back home that are working hard to get a chance and those here need to make the most of this opportunity. That also creates a nice team environment, as everybody wants the team to be the best it can be.”
Jobb replaced the injured Zain Davids and Leyds came in for Dewald Human.
New Zealand will be the first opponents of the Springbok Sevens, who have been drawn in a tough pool that includes Ireland and Australia.
The Blitzboks have enjoyed the pace of the artificial playing surface at BC Place, however. They won the tournament in 2019 and 2021.
With the hunger shown by the likes of Jobb and Lleyds, there is every likelihood of a repeat.