Image: Just Plain Sport
For Tristan Leyds, being crowned the HSBC SVNS Men’s Player of the Year was the pinnacle of years of dedication, sacrifice and relentless hard work. But while the accolade cemented his status as one of the world’s premier sevens players, it was what happened moments later that turned the occasion into a memory he says he will treasure forever.
The Strand-born Blitzbok recently reflected on that unforgettable evening during an appearance on the Behind The Ruck podcast with Juan de Jongh and Rudie Paige, revealing that the award was never just about individual success.
Instead, it became a celebration of the family who had walked every step of the journey with him.
Leyds explained that as the awards ceremony unfolded, he knew exactly where his loved ones were sitting in the crowd. Among them was his older brother, former Springbok and Stormers back Dillyn Leyds.
When Tristan’s name was announced, Dillyn immediately turned around with one simple question.
“Did you get the award?”
After Tristan responded with a thumbs up, the emotions became too much.
His brother burst into tears. The moment quickly spread through the family as Dillyn shared the news with their mother before Tristan called his father over.
What followed remains one of the most cherished memories of his career.
“I said to him, ‘Listen, I managed to get the award,’ and he dropped on my shoulder,” Tristan recalled, revealing that it was one of the very few occasions he had ever seen his father cry.
For many athletes, the trophy cabinet tells only part of the story.
Behind every medal is a lifetime of early morning training sessions, long drives to practice, financial sacrifices, setbacks, injuries and moments of self-doubt that families endure together.
For the Leyds family, that journey began long before the rugby world recognised Tristan as its best sevens player.
Growing up in Strand, rugby became a shared passion within the household. Dillyn carved out an impressive professional career that included Springbok honours, while Tristan followed his own path, developing into one of the most exciting players on the HSBC SVNS circuit.
His rise has been built on blistering pace, elusive footwork and an exceptional work ethic, qualities that have helped establish the Blitzboks among the world’s elite once again.
Yet despite all the international recognition, Leyds’ reflections make it clear that the greatest reward was seeing the pride on his family’s faces.
It’s a reminder that while supporters often celebrate the player lifting the trophy, they rarely see the people who helped carry the dream through the difficult years.
Parents who made sacrifices. Siblings who believed before anyone else did.
Communities that watched a young boy chase a rugby ball long before stadiums chanted his name.
For Tristan Leyds, the HSBC SVNS Men’s Player of the Year award will forever represent more than personal excellence.
It represents every sacrifice his family made to help him reach the top of world rugby.
And judging by the tears shared that evening, it was a victory the entire Leyds family had earned together.
Source: www.iol.co.za
