American puzzle for the Blitzboks
THE United States are quickly becoming the Springbok Sevens’ bogey team.
The Blitzboks had never had a problem in dispatching the Americans in the past, but have now lost twice to them in the same year.
Clearly there is something amiss in the South Africans’ make-up, and coach Neil Powell is hell-bent on finding out exactly what that is ahead of this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens at the Cape Town Stadium.
The Blitzboks were stunned by the Americans 21-19 to crash out of the Dubai Sevens Cup competition last weekend, which relegated Powell’s team to the Plate section.
That was the US’ second consecutive victory over SA after their 21-12 triumph at the London Sevens in May.
SA won the Plate final in Dubai, outlasting Australia 19-14 after being 14-0 down at halftime.
The Blitzboks, though, have their eye on the main prize on home soil on Saturday and Sunday. But guess who could be waiting for them in the Cup quarter-final again this weekend? The Americans.
South Africa have been drawn in Pool B alongside England, Kenya and Zimbabwe, while the US head up Pool C, with Australia, Wales and Portugal completing the group.
The winners and runnersup of the respective pools face each other in the Cup quarterfinals, so the Blitzboks and the Eagles are on a collision course once more.
Powell said after arriving from Dubai this week that the South African team are still hurting from the Cup quarterfinal defeat, in which Seabelo Senatla received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle, while New Zealand referee Nick Bryant also made some glaring errors.
“Definitely (hurting). I think it showcases the nature of our game – one incident in a match can change the momentum and actually affect the result of the tournament dramatically,” Powell said.
“It is now two defeats to America, and in both instances we were ahead!
“Actually, we also got a yellow card in the previous game against them and they scored two tries to win the game.
“So I almost want to say that we are losing to ourselves and not America. But we will definitely work on a better pattern when we are six men on the field.
“We can’t have five men and a sweeper at the back, but then also we cannot put six men in the line, as they would just kick over the top and let their fast guys (such as Perry Baker and Carlin Isles) win the race.”
The South African camp are still awaiting the results of fitness tests conducted yesterday on playmaker Cecil Afrika (hamstring) and Werner Kok (knee), but even if they are ruled out of the Cape Town Sevens, Powell is confident that he has enough cover in the extended squad.
Rosko Specman and Dylan Sage were added to the Blitzbok squad yesterday as injury cover for Kok and Afrika.
Powell feels that the Dubai disappointment will serve as extra motivation to go all the way in front of a 55 000 crowd at Cape Town Stadium this weekend.
“We are very excited to be in Cape Town and to play here. We can take a lot of positives out of the Dubai tournament, especially that last one against Australia as we came back from being 14-0 down.
“But losing to America and not really being part of the Cup competition will make the guys a bit hungrier. I think the guys are ready to perform in Cape Town,” he said.