Blitzboks: so much to love

Own Correspondent

The Blitzboks are many things to many people: some love the comfortable integration by the team and others laud their high performance ability which sees them consistently rank in the top two Sevens teams of the world.

Generally, the Springbok Sevens are liked for being a true example of the potential of South Africans working together towards a common goal.

They have their superstars, with no less than three former World Rugby Sevens Players of the Year among them, as well as record points scorers, but also – as with any successful team – an engine room where the focus is on delivering the goods and laying a foundation for the stars to shine.

You will find among these the quiet, unassuming figure of Ryan Oosthuizen, above, who loves nothing more than getting the work done without frills or fancy stuff. The lanky 24-year-old is a double HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series champion and come round five of the 2020 series, will be chomping at the bit to contribute to a potential third gold medal.

Oosthuizen missed out on the previous two tournaments in Hamilton and Sydney as part of the rotational policy by Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell as part of his planning for the Olympic Games, but the part-time law student looks set to hit 100 matches and 100 points in Los Angeles this weekend.

“It is another opportunity to contribute to a team that means so much to me,” Oosthuizen said as the Blitzboks fine-tuned their preparations for the HSBC LA Sevens this weekend.

“Nothing makes you realise how special it is to play for the Blitzboks than having to watch them play on television or from the sidelines. It is such a privilege and honour to play for such a team with so many great players.”

Oosthuizen was barely out of school at Paarl Gymnasium when the 2016 Rio Olympics came around. At that stage, he was plugging away as an outside centre for the DHL Western Province age group teams, but come Tokyo 2020, he will be hoping to live his dream in Japan.