Leighton Koopman
THE Springbok Sevens have one final tournament in Spain to push for some momentum and silverware ahead of their Olympic repêchage tournament next month to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.
Judging by their performances over the last couple of tournaments and the tough draw handed to them in the Madrid SVNS, the Blitzboks have their work cut out to make any inroads towards the championship.
New Zealand, Fiji and Ireland are in Pool B with the South Africans, and from the onset the odds are stacked against Philip Snyman’s side in this winner-takes-all format.
It’s been a dismal season according to the standards of the Blitzboks, and they will look at Madrid to make more headway towards possible Olympic qualification.
Things do not look in the Blitzboks’ favour in terms of getting to Paris, especially after finishing seventh during the regular season of the revamped SVNS Series.
They won the title in Dubai, but then their wheels came off and the rest of the season included some results they would want washed off their record.
It’s difficult to see them getting the results in their pool, especially after the All Blacks and Ireland dominated throughout the season. New Zealand won the last two tournaments, while Ireland finished runners-up to Argentina in the overall league standings for the title.
For years, Fiji have been South Africa’s nemesis on the series, so Snyman’s troops will have their work cut out for them if they want to remain relevant in Madrid.
At the repêchage tournament from June 21 in Monaco, the likes of Great Britain, Spain and Canada will be the teams standing in South Africa’s way of making it to the Paris Games.
Britain fought hard to end among the top eight teams and pipped the US to get to the finale, and they will do the same looking towards Paris.
Lots of work will go into the next couple of weeks in Stellenbosch, where the Blitzboks are preparing for Madrid, and if they are to make a statement before the repêchage, the Grand Final is the place to do so.
For the Springbok Women, the fight to stay at the top table of World Rugby’s SVNS Series also continues in Madrid. South Africa, alongside Japan, Brazil and Spain, will fight things out against four other challenger sides to stay part of the women’s core teams for the next series.