Their quest for automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games may be out of their hands, but the Springbok Sevens team will leave no stone unturned at the HSBC London Sevens this weekend as they give it one final push to book their tickets to Paris next year.
The Springbok Sevens team put in a huge effort at the HSBC France Sevens this weekend, but sadly the results did not show that, so from the perspective of Blitzbok head coach Sandile Ngcobo, it was not all doom and gloom.
The gold medal for Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris cannot be won in Toulouse in 2023, but don't tell the Springbok Sevens team that. In fact, according to Blitzbok coach Sandile Ngcobo, their approach is to use this weekend’s HSBC France Sevens at Stade Ernst-Wallon as an Olympic trial.
There is no doubt that a core of experienced Blitzboks available for the final two legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series has boosted the confidence of the squad, players and management alike.
The Springbok Sevens conceded valuable ground to their opponents in the race to automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games with their joint-12th placed-finish at the HSBC Singapore Sevens on Sunday, but more disappointing was the fact that they could not sustain the good effort from Hong Kong last weekend.
Blitzboks coach Sandile Ngcobo has plenty to ponder as they head into Singapore for yet another weekend of unpredictability.
His early days as a Blitzbok were a breeze for Shaun Williams. In fact, the former Garsfontein High School learner and University of Johannesburg graduate would have been excused if he thought playing on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series was easy pickings while representing the Springbok Sevens in Vancouver, Edmonton, Dubai (twice) and Seville.
The Springbok Sevens produced a much-improved display in Hong Kong this weekend despite losing three key games by less than one score, and as a result of their sixth place, they climbed two spots on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series standings – from seventh to fifth – with three tournaments to go in the season.
Seven stops into the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, and there has already been five different tournament winners, with only New Zealand and Argentina having won more than once, while Australia, South Africa and Samoa have also stood on the top step of the podium since the season kicked off in Hong Kong last November.
They may have arrived in Hong Kong with their backs to the wall, but the Springbok Sevens team know where to make the necessary improvements to get back on track with only four tournaments left in the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.