--- title: "Blitzboks turn the tide with their fourth consecutive Dubai World Series win" description: "The Springbok Sevens were near flawless in the Dubai Sevens cup final on Saturday evening against a gritty Ireland side, thumping them 21-5." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "SEVENS RUGBY" author: "Keanan Hemmonsbey" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/keanan-hemmonsbey/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-12-04-blitzboks-turn-the-tide-with-their-fourth-consecutive-dubai-world-series-win/" published: "2022-12-04T21:43:33" updated: "2022-12-05T08:01:31" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 687 --- # Blitzboks turn the tide with their fourth consecutive Dubai World Series win > The Springbok Sevens were near flawless in the Dubai Sevens cup final on Saturday evening against a gritty Ireland side, thumping them 21-5. By Keanan Hemmonsbey · Published 4 December 2022, 23:43 SAST · Updated 5 December 2022, 10:01 SAST ## Content The Blitzboks produced a stunning weekend comeback after their opening match 14-5 defeat to Great Britain on Friday to win the Dubai leg of the Sevens World Series on Saturday. The desert of Dubai has become a fortress for the Blitzboks as they secured their fourth title on the trot in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and their sixth of the past seven in the desert. The excellent defence of the SA Sevens team was most impressive, keeping the Irish scoreless in the first half as they took a 21-0 lead. The Blitzboks’ defence moved like a stretched shoestring, with each player working closely in tandem with the next, cutting out the space for the dangerous Irish backs. ![Blitzboks head coach Sandile Ngcobo. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/hfo1gZ1PxzpXXYSIEjhtr0Ymw_E=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sevens0Blitzboks-dubai_7.jpg) *Blitzboks head coach Sandile Ngcobo. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)* They converted the defensive pressure into points as Shilton van Wyk crossed for two tries and skipper Siviwe Soyizwapi crossed for another. Ricardo Duarttee — who made his Blitzbok debut in Dubai — fitted in like a veteran all weekend and was exceptional in the final, producing a flawless display in front of the posts. “I can’t find the perfect words to express how I feel and what this means for our system. I just know it’s an incredible effort from the boys,” said Sandile Ngcobo, who tasted cup glory for the first time as head coach this weekend. “I’m hard on them and they really hung in there and they showed fight in the camp that we had.” Ireland’s Jack Kelly dotted down in the corner in the second half, but it was too little, too late for the Irish. #### **Tough few months** The Blitzboks opening 14-5 loss to Great Britain could have signalled danger for the South Africans as they also had reigning World Series champions Australia to contend with in their group. However, after their 27-12 pounding of Kenya, the Blitzboks played some of their best rugby in recent times to claim a 19-12 win over the Aussies to top their group. “We had a serious discussion amongst ourselves after the loss \[to Great Britain\],” said assistant coach Philip Snyman. ![Blitzboks captain Siviwe Soyizwapi during the match against Australia at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 2 December 2022. (Photo: David van der Sandt / Gallo Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/0SUysxsQOr2PgW2NQQW1UlFo23w=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sevens0Blitzboks-dubai_4.jpg) *Blitzboks captain Siviwe Soyizwapi during the match against Australia at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 2 December 2022. (Photo: David van der Sandt / Gallo Images)* “The standard delivered was not the standard expected. We agreed there and then that it was not what this jersey was about. Credit to everyone who stepped up afterwards and gave us something to be proud of.” “Beating Australia, the number one team in the world, in the way we did, that was great. I think we restored the pride back into the jersey.” South Africa then powered past the Pacific Islands of Samoa (24-19) in the quarterfinals and New Zealand (26-19) in the semifinals before beating Ireland in the final. **Visit**[***Daily Maverick’s*****home page**](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=in_article_link&utm_campaign=homepage)**for more news, analysis and investigations** “This is a special win and it’s a win that we really worked hard for as a group,” said Soyizwapi. “We struggled for the last couple of months. We’ve built something special. There’s been a lot of changes, there’s been a lot happening at camp. ![Siviwe Soyizwapi of South Africa and Aaron O’Sullivan of Ireland compete for the ball during the Men’s Cup Final in Dubai. (Photo: Christopher Pike / Getty Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/FvzQ8Jc5HGKoQ9TeaTCEKaz1RuM=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sevens0Blitzboks-dubai_3.jpg) *Siviwe Soyizwapi of South Africa and Aaron O’Sullivan of Ireland compete for the ball during the Men’s Cup Final in Dubai. (Photo: Christopher Pike / Getty Images)* “To be in a hole and to work hard and dig ourselves out of that hole has been special and to be able to win here tonight is absolutely amazing.” The win in the second leg of the World Series marks a change for[the Blitzboks, who had been in a steady freefall](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-11-29-blitzboks-seek-redemption-in-dubai-after-a-string-of-dismal-performances/) in the past few months. They finished eighth in the opening tournament of this season’s World Series in Hong Kong three weeks ago. But now they sit atop the overall standings after their stunning victory in the UAE. The Blitzboks come home to play the Cape Town Sevens next weekend. The last success they tasted in Cape Town came in 2015, but after a three-year hiatus from the World Series at home, the high-flying Bok Sevens will be keen to impress. **DM**