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Blitzboks have a point to prove in Vancouver

football20 February 2025 13:58| © SuperSport
By:Brenden Nel
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Philip Snyman © Gallo Images

The Springbok Sevens team will be hoping their return to the cold of Vancouver will reignite some fire and bring them into the top three in the HSBC World SVNS Series standings this weekend.

The Blitzboks have always seemed to find success in Canada, winning the Commonwealth Games title there as well as two Sevens titles as well, but in recent times their form - not only in North America, but also on the circuit has been less than impressive.

It was last season that they finished a lowly ninth, as the Blitzboks sunk to a new low and some desperate changes were needed.

The entrance of coach Philip Snyman into the fray started to reverse that trend, as the Blitzboks under his care took a bronze medal at the Olympics, won the Cape Town tournament and were cruelly denied in Perth by some interesting refereeing calls.

All that is in the past now, and Snyman knows his charges need to put up or shut up when they take the field in Vancouver, as it is another chance to remind people that this is a team on an upward trend and not the opposite.

But it won’t be easy. The Blitzboks are drawn in the regular “Pool of death”, starting off against the All Black Sevens at 10pm (CAT, GMT+2) on Friday night before they face a tricky Ireland side and then Australia in their pool games.

All three of those sides can be tough opposition, but the Blitzboks have beaten them all this season.

The key will be to get a good start and then to make it through with consistent form to the playoffs.

The captaincy will be shared this weekend between Impi Visser and Selvyn Davids after injury ruled Zain Davids out for the trip, but Snyman is looking forward to his team shining when the limelight is on them.

HOMEWORK DONE  

“We have done the homework on our opponents, but of course one needs to execute those to be successful,” said Snyman.

“So, one part is done, it is now up to the players to go and do the job.”

With Sebastian Jobb and Tristan Leyds returning to the side, the Blitzboks coach is happy with the preparations and expects the duo to slot in well.

“They slotted in nicely, but nothing has changed from our plan to blood new players and rotate others, so when injuries happen, we just adapt accordingly,” said Snyman.

“We try to have the starting team from the last two matches of the previous tournament to start the opening match of the next one in order to create some momentum and stability, and I am confident that it will work well for us again.

“New Zealand did not perform well in Perth, so they will be hurting and looking for a good rebound, but if we start well against them, the standard for the rest of the tournament will be set.

“Ireland are another dangerous side that always play well against us, while Australia won their last match against us, in the Perth semifinals. We would love to get one back over them.”

The Blitzboks last played New Zealand in Dubai and lost 24-17 in the quarterfinals.

They managed to beat Ireland 37-7 in Cape Town a week later in December, but that Irish side were not at their best due to a stomach bug in the squad.

Snyman said the Blitzboks played a match against Uruguay earlier in the week, which worked well for them.

“It is always good to be tested against different defensive and attacking systems as one gets used to each other in training,” said Snyman.

“So, seeing different pictures on attack and defence from Uruguay was a good thing and the guys sharpened up nicely. The match also took place on an artificial pitch, and it was quite cold, two things we will encounter this weekend, so in that regard, it was the perfect prep for us coming into the tournament.”

SPRINGBOK SEVENS POOL SCHEDULE (all matches live on SuperSport, SA times):

Friday, 21 February

10:02pm: New Zealand

Saturday 22 February

3:29am: Ireland

9:36pm: Australia

SPRINGBOK SEVENS SQUAD FOR VANCOUVER:

#2 Ryan Oosthuizen – 52 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)

#3 Impi Visser (co-captain) – 42 tournaments, 215 points (43 tries)

#5 Ricardo Duarttee – 15 tournaments, 248 points (19 tries, 75 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

#7 Ronald Brown – 18 tournaments, 394 points (40 tries, 97 conversions)

#8 Selvyn Davids (co-captain) – 38 tournaments, 701 points (92 tries, 119 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

#11 Siviwe Soyizwapi – 56 tournaments, 760 points (152 tries)

#12 Shilton van Wyk – 23 tournaments, 210 points (42 tries)

#14 Quewin Nortje – 9 tournaments, 125 points (25 tries)

#15 Donavan Don – 6 tournaments, 45 points (9 tries)

#16 Sebastiaan Jobb – 2 tournaments, 10 points (2 tries)

#19 David Brits – 6 tournaments, 40 points (8 tries)

#21 Zander Reynders – 2 tournaments, 0 points

#24 Tristan Leyds – 7 tournaments, 106 points (14 tries, 18 conversions)

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