Blitzboks skipper left speechless
DUBAI WIN: BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER FOR SKIPPER
To keep a New Zealand team scoreless in a rugby match is almost impossible; to prevent the All Black Sevens team from scoring in a final even more so.
Yet, that was exactly what the Blitzboks did on Saturday in the final of the Dubai Sevens , blanking the current Rugby World Cup Sevens and Commonwealth Games gold medallists in their 15-0 win, a defensive effort which left Springbok Sevens captain Siviwe Soyizwapi “almost speechless”.’
The winger turned 27 on Saturday
and received the best birthday present from his team as they delivered a masterclass, handing the captain his very first gold medal in the Dubai Sevens.
“I was saying to my roommate Ruhan (Nel) yesterday morning how great it would be if we won the tournament on my birthday,” said Soyizwapi after the team lifted the trophy at The Sevens Stadium.
“And now we did. Since that final whistle went, I have been almost speechless, taking in the effort the guys put out there.”
Soyizwapi may be shy when it comes to showing his emotions, but he was very clear on why they were crowned champions: “We kept on improving. Every match we got better and better and managed to do things the way we wanted to. We played the way we wanted to play.”
With the SA Rugby Sevens Academy team winning the International Invitational tournament in Dubai, it was understandable that Soyizwapi credited the Springbok Sevens programme as a whole.
“We have great depth at the moment and that pushes the guys even more,” he said.
“The Academy side also won their final and there are also several current Blitzboks in that team. We are very fortunate to be in that position. As a squad we always strive for improvement.”
The Blitzboks arrived back in Cape Town yesterday and assemble again today. “We are playing in front of our home fans and our families, so it will be a big week,”