Blitzboks face crucial pool match against old foe New Zealand to reach Hong Kong playoffs

The Springbok Sevens will go into day two of the Hong Kong SVNS on Saturday needing a win over New Zealand to go through to the playoffs of their bogey tournament.

After going down 26-7 to Australia on Friday afternoon in a one-sided affair, the Blitzboks’ hopes of making it through hang on a thread after starting so well in their opening match. They face the Kiwis on Saturday (7.43 am) in the final pool match.

They dominated Uruguay, winning 40-7 with some excellent defending and attacking prowess, scoring six tries on their way to the romp. That skill and accuracy were missing when they took on the Aussies in the second match.

Despite playing against six men in the opening stages of the game, the South Africans could not get their attack going. Australia defended everything that the Blitzboks threw at them and when it came to attacking, they managed to find the gaps. They absorbed the early yellow card and went on to score two unanswered tries in the first half.

They added two more scores in the second half after going up 14-0 to extend their lead to 26-0. After that third try it was already too late for the Springbok Sevens to mount a comeback. Selvyn Davids scored the sole try after a breakout run, but that was a little too late to salvage anything from the duel.

Earlier on Friday, they were in sublime form against the Uruguayans. After initially weathering the defence of the South Americans, the floodgates started to open. Two scores by speedster Quewin Nortje and one apiece by Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Gino Cupido and Ricardo Duarttee blew their opponents out of the water.

Cupido scored with his first touch of the ball in his debut match for the Blitzboks after skinning the defence almost from his touchline. When he was clear, a broad smile crept onto his face as he knew he was in for his first-ever Springbok Sevens five-pointer. Behind the try line, he was swarmed by his teammates as they congratulated the newcomer.

The joy after defeating Uruguay was short-lived, though, as the Aussies brought the South Africans back to earth. They now have it all to do when they take on the All Blacks in the final pool match of the tournament to progress to the playoffs.