The Blitzboks shall be gunning to play at their true potential once they battle it out within the Commonwealth Games this weekend after which host the Sevens World Cup on residence soil in September, in coach Neil Powell’s swansong.
Despite having loved success on the World Sevens Series the place they’ve received 4 titles, together with three up to now 5 years, whereas additionally ending as runner-up eight occasions together with in 2019-20, they haven’t loved as a lot success in major tournaments.
Taking the Sevens World Cup, which has been held seven occasions since 1993, the Olympic Sevens, which has been held twice since 2016 and the Commonwealth Games Sevens which has been held six occasions since 1998, the Blitzboks have solely managed to declare one title.
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Their sole win got here within the 2014 Commonwealth Games staged in Glasgow, Scotland, the place a star studded workforce that includes Kwagga Smith, Seabelo Senatla, Warren Whiteley and Cecil Afrika, amongst others, helped information them to the gold medal.
Their solely different medal placings throughout these three tournaments noticed them end as runners-up within the 1997 Sevens World Cup, whereas claiming the bronze medal within the 2002 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2016 Rio Olympics.
It has thus been a largely irritating run in major occasions, significantly within the final two to occur through the Blitzboks spectacular World Series run.
This being the 2018 Commonwealth Games the place they completed fourth and a bitterly disappointing exhibiting at the 2020 (2021 due to Covid) Tokyo Olympics the place regardless of being one of many pre-tournament favourites, they had been knocked out within the quarterfinals and completed fifth.
Most good work down to Powell
Quite a lot of the Blitzboks good work over the previous 9 years has come from their coach Powell, who having represented the workforce extensively throughout his taking part in profession, together with being part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games Bronze medal successful workforce, then led them to their 2014 triumph.
He then constructed a formidable squad that has gone on to principally dominate the Sevens World Series, together with Fiji, throughout his time at the helm, ending as runners-up in 2013-14 behind New Zealand, and once more as runners-up in 2014-15 and 2015-16 behind Fiji.
In 2017-18 and 2018-19 the Blitzboks then received again to again sequence, earlier than a blip in 2018-19 noticed them end fourth, earlier than one other runner-up spot in 2019-20 was adopted up by one other triumph in 2021.
Thus throughout his time as coach the Blitzboks have received three titles together with Fiji, whereas New Zealand have picked up two.
It has been a really profitable spell underneath Powell with it now coming to an finish, as he’ll hyperlink up with the Sharks as their Director of Rugby following the Sevens World Cup in Cape Town in September.
Powell shall be hoping to finish his tenure on a excessive and decide up some extra silverware, with three large alternatives obtainable through the subsequent two months.
The Commonwealth Games this weekend shall be adopted by the ultimate spherical of the 2021-22 World Sevens Series which the Blitzboks lead in a decent race, with the Los Angeles event set for the 27th and 28th of August.
The Sevens World Cup will then be battled out at the Cape Town Stadium from the ninth to the 11th of September, with the present squad hoping to give Powell the proper send-off.
Talking concerning the possibilities of his present prices over the approaching few months Powell stated: “This is certainly a workforce that’s able to being profitable if they will attain their potential.
“At occasions this 12 months now we have been our personal worst enemy which is why now we have struggled in our final 4 occasions.
“But if we can be accurate enough in our decision making and if we can implement our plans better, then I firmly believe that this group can reach their potential on the field and that will lead to success in the major tournaments.”