The Blitzboks' Olympic success must not mask issues that need work in South African rugby.

In years to come, sports fans may remember that the Blitzboks were the first members of Team South Africa to win a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Some may even recall the trials and tribulations faced in the build-up, and ultimately why the players and coaches celebrated a bronze medal as if it were a gold.

advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsLast week, the Blitzboks were welcomed home as heroes, and coach Philip Snyman took the opportunity to put the achievement into perspective. The team has been in steady decline over the past four years, and finished the 2023-24 World Rugby Sevens Series in seventh place.

"Five weeks ago, we didn't even know if we were going to the Olympics," Snyman told reporters at Cape Town International Airport. It's a statement that highlights the magnitude of the achievement, and the group's never-say-die spirit.

Reason for concern and celebration

At the same time, the South African Rugby Union (Saru) has reason to be concerned.

One of the top sports teams in the country has essentially regressed to the point where a third-place finish at an elite event is viewed as a triumph.

The bar was raised...