SEVENS WORLD SERIES
Blitzboks look to end Cape Town hoodoo: ‘What’s behind us, is behind us’
Coming off a morale-boosting victory in Dubai a week ago, the SA Sevens men’s team is out to halt a barren gold medal run that stretches to seven years on home soil.
The Blitzboks have not finished the Cape Town leg of the Sevens World Series with gold medals hanging around their necks since 2015. It’s been a seven-year drought — although the last two years were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The closest the SA Sevens team have come to home glory since 2015 is a 7-5 defeat to arch-rivals New Zealand in the cup final of the last edition in 2019.
The side also recently had World Cup heartbreak to contend with in the Mother City when they finished a disappointing seventh at the start of September.
However, there have been a number of changes to the squad that succumbed three months ago.
“What’s behind us is behind us,” said forward James Murphy.
“The World Cup actually hasn’t come up [in team discussions] if I’m dead honest. We’re all focused on our new system, new coaches, new goals.”
Head coach Sandile Ngcobo has made only one change for this weekend’s fixtures at the DHL Stadium to the squad that ran out in the desert.
Back Darren Adonis replaces Dewald Human, who picked up a groin injury in Dubai last weekend.
“He covers flyhalf and centre and he kicks with both feet, so he brings a versatility element to the squad as well. Darren is experienced enough to slot in immediately and has done very well,” Ngcobo said.
The Blitzboks are in a tough pool in Cape Town, alongside Canada, Fiji and France.
Sakoyisa Makata of South Africa (centre) breaks through a tackle from Paul Scanlan of Samoa (left) during the Rugby World Cup Sevens men’s 7/8th-place match between South Africa and Samoa in Cape Town, South Africa, 11 September 2022. (Photo: EPA-EFE / NIC BOTHMA)
Dubai momentum
The Blitzboks are coming off an impressive Dubai leg win last weekend, after losing their first match 14-5 to Great Britain but then going unbeaten the rest of the tournament.
“We finished off well in Dubai — not a perfect start — but this is a new tournament and we need to start over again,” said assistant coach Philip Snyman.
“Coming to our home tournament, we want to use [the momentum] to our advantage. Do the same things we did in Dubai: that’s to focus on ourselves and for this week, leave the friends and family.”
Snyman, however, attempted to dim the spotlight of expectation on the Blitzboks, highlighting that the team have not been together for very long.
“This weekend we have a very inexperienced squad, we’re in a rebuilding phase. A lot of youngsters, but with the youngsters comes a lot of excitement as well,” he said.
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Roos takes the lead
Nippy back Nadine Roos, who is the most experienced player in the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad, has been named to lead the South African team at the Cape Town Sevens this weekend.
Interim coach Renfred Dazel said it was an easy call to hand the captaincy armband to Roos after Mathrin Simmers and Sizophila Solontsi, who shared the captaincy in Dubai last weekend, were ruled out because of injury.
“Nadine is one of the senior players and she leads by example,” said Dazel.
“She has played enough rugby at this level to stay calm under pressure and is a good motivator as well. I know she will do an excellent job.”
The Springbok Women’s Sevens team are in Pool A with Australia, Ireland and Spain for company.
“Come Friday afternoon, we will be up against the best team in the world [Australia],” said the coach.
“What a great opportunity that is for us as a group. Every player wants to compete against the best, every coach wants to be tested against the best team and we approach that game with that attitude.” DM
The Springbok Women’s Sevens squad (with World Series stats)
- Rights Mkhari (vice-captain) — one tournament, four matches
- Asisipho Plaatjies — one tournament, five matches
- Kemisetso Baloyi — on debut
- Jakkie Cilliers — on debut
- Marlize de Bruin — on debut
- Felicia Jacobs — on debut
- Anacadia Minnaar — one tournament, two matches
- Aseza Hele — on debut
- Nadine Roos (captain) — five tournaments, 18 matches, 79 points (13 tries, seven conversions)
- Snenhlanhla Shozi — one tournament, four matches
- Simamkele Namba — on debut
- Liske Lategan — two tournaments, nine matches, 10 points (two tries)
- Lusanda Dumke — one tournament, three matches
The Springbok Sevens Men’s squad
Impi Visser — 23 tournaments, 118 matches, 125 points (25 tries)
Zain Davids — 34 tournaments, 170 matches, 160 points (32 tries)
Ryan Oosthuizen — 34 tournaments, 163 matches, 165 points (33 tries)
James Murphy — 10 tournaments, 46 matches, 50 points (10 tries)
JC Pretorius — 22 tournaments, 116 matches, 245 points (49 tries)
Masande Mtshali — one tournament, one match
Branco du Preez — 84 tournaments, 426 matches, 1,442 points (101 tries, 466 conversions, one drop goal)
Ricardo Duarrtee — one tournament, six matches, 30 points (four tries, five conversions)
Darren Adonis — eight tournaments, 33 matches, 54 points (10 tries, two conversions)
Muller du Plessis — 21 tournaments, 98 matches, 325 points (65 tries)
Shilton van Wyk — six tournaments, 34 matches, 50 points (10 tries)
Dalvon Blood — two tournaments, 10 matches, 25 points (five tries)
Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain) — 42 tournaments, 221 matches, 690 points (138 tries)
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