Snyman praises management team

SPRINGBOK SEVENS captain Philip Snyman praised the management team for laying out a “perfect game plan” for the team after securing the World Sevens Series title in Paris.

The Blitzboks also clinched the tournament title in Paris, after claiming the Dubai, Wellington, Sydney and Las Vegas legs, and competed in tournament finals in Cape Town, Vancouver and Hong Kong.

And while Snyman, who along with Chris Dry made the tournament Dream Team, lauded his team’s execution, it was the Blitzboks’ coaching staff’s preparation that Snyman had the kindest words for.

“We executed well, but massive credit must go (to) our management team in this regard. They laid out the perfect game plan and we just executed it,” Snyman said.

“The system worked perfectly, not only this weekend, but also all season and they deserve credit for that.”

Snyman also said that England’s 17-19 loss to Scotland in the semi-final – which they weren’t aware of – wouldn’t have changed their mindset going into their clash against New Zealand, as Neil Powell’s side was set on working hard for that series title.

“We actually did not know that England lost their semifinal match against Scotland as we were warming up for our own semi against New Zealand. We knew that we would be series champions if we beat New Zealand, so we went out with all guns blazing to win that one, which we did. We were champions already and did not even know,” Snyman said. “But then, it would not have mattered as we wanted to win it anyway. We are a team that believes in hard work and doesn’t want anything offered to us on a plate.

“We want to earn everything that comes our way.”

And even though the South Africans already have already bagged the series after a tough weekend in Paris, Snyman, who is the leading tackler in the series (143), added that the last leg of the 2016-17 World Sevens Series won’t be one the team is going to take lightly.

“We set out to win as many tournaments as we can, so nothing has changed now (that) we have won the series. The Blitzboks will still go out there and give everything they have to win in London,” he said.

“We are not letting our standards down.”

The Blitzboks will face Kenya, Wales and the US in a tough Pool A at the London Sevens this weekend.