‘Mindset shift’
By the time you read this, the Blitzboks – with success in Los Angeles over the weekend of 27 August – could already be Sevens World Series champions. It would be their fifth crowning as World Series leaders and their second in succession.
The Springboks Sevens team also attained a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games last month. The fleet-footed side now have an opportunity to make history at the Sevens World Cup in Cape Town next month by becoming the first side in history to win all three events in a calendar year.
Blitzboks head coach Neil Powell – who will step away from the sevens circuit after the World Cup and take up the role of director of rugby at the Sharks – sees the World Cup as an opportunity for his players to express themselves in front of a home crowd.
When asked by if the sense of expectancy by supporters creates any pressure on his side, Powell answered assuredly.
“I would like to say no [there’s no pressure] and if I say yes then I think we’re focusing on the wrong thing. The most important thing for us – going into the last two [Los Angeles and the World Cup] – is just to enjoy it,” said Powell.
“It’s the last two tournaments of my coaching career as well and then I’ll move on to fifteens rugby. I really want to remember it for the fact that we enjoyed it.
“If we’re going to all of a sudden focus on the outcome and put pressure on ourselves to win a World
Series and a World
Cup gold, I think we’re in the wrong space. I would love the boys just to go and enjoy it and get out of it what they want…”
The Blitzboks started the World Sevens Series like a Siviwe Soyizwapi line break – fast and incisive – claiming first place in the first four tournaments.
They then endured a four-tournament slump, finishing eighth, fifth, 12th and fifth in Singapore, Vancouver, Toulouse and London respectively.
The Bok Sevens then picked themselves up brilliantly to claim a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham a month later.
“What was different for us was the mindset shift from the guys to really chase their goals and then our preparation as well,” said Powell.
“At times, before those tournaments, we almost cruised through training sessions and then we’re desperate when we get to tournaments. We’ve asked the guys to show their desperation in their preparation.
“We really pushed the guys hard and they had a good attitude towards us pushing them hard. I’m really happy that they got the rewards for all the hard work they put in before the Commonwealth Games.”
The Blitzboks dominated Fiji in the final in what was expected to be an arm-wrestle bout, restricting the usually flying Fijians to only one try in the match and outscoring them 31-7.
“Defensively we were very good. We gave [Fiji] one opportunity – when we lost a lineout and they scored from it – but everything else we were very clinical. Massive credit to the boys. Massive effort in defence in the whole tournament, not just the Fiji game,” said Powell.
“The semifinal between Fiji and New Zealand was a very physical game so I think it took a lot out of Fiji.
“I definitely think they will be a different team if we get them on any other day, but I also need to praise the guys for how they never gave Fiji a sniff in the final.
“We were very clinical in attack and they implemented exactly the plans that we asked them to implement. Very proud of the boys and great reward for a tournament that they really came together as one and played as one,” said Powell.
Tired legs
The Blitzboks will have two weeks to prepare for the Sevens World Cup when they arrive back in South Africa from Los Angeles. The flight home, however, is more than 20 hours long and could affect the team’s preparation for the global showpiece.
“Jet lag is a bit of a worry on the way back. We’ve experienced that in previous World Series after LA or after Vancouver when we get back to South Africa and it takes a while to get over the jet lag, so it is a worry for us. We’re trying to put measures in place to try to negate the effect on us,” said the coach.
“We actually got a flight that will make sure we’re back in South Africa a day earlier than any other team, which is great because it’s one more sleep in your own bed.”
Even without the jet lag, the South African side is sure to have tired legs as the long sevens season – which started in November last year – draws to a close.
Selvyn Davids, Ronald Brown, Christie Grobbelaar and Mfundo Ndhlovu are all out of action in Los Angeles as they recover from the injuries sustained at the Commonwealth Games.
According to Powell the injured quartet will all be in contention for a place in the World Cup squad and some of them, such as influential playmaker Brown, could have played this weekend but they decided not to risk him in the hopes of claiming World Cup glory.
The Blitzboks have made shrewd decisions on and off the field and, if the decisions pay off in two weeks, it could result in the side becoming the most successful sevens team in a calendar year.