Blitzboks, SA women face tough competition at Los Angeles Sevens Championship

There will be one last shot at a piece of silverware for the Blitzboks when they start the SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles on Saturday.

While a victory in Cape Town in December was the last time the Springbok Sevens lifted a trophy, they’ve shown glimpses throughout the season of their abilities, and will have to put everything together over the weekend if they want to win.

It’s the all-important trophy they want to fight for in the one-off competition, and it will be a clear indication for head coach Philip Snyman of the growth or lack thereof in the side over the last couple of months.

There is no argument that they are in the so-called ‘group of death’, facing last season’s Championship victors France, SVNS Series winners Argentina and Great Britain, who defeated the South Africans at the last tournament in Singapore.

So, captain Selvyn Davids and his men will have their work cut out for them if they want to get out of the pool stages to the playoffs.

According to speedster Shilton van Wyk, they are ready for that challenge.

“We know we can beat any team, and we showed that, even in our most recent outing in Singapore, where we managed a win over Argentina, the series winners, despite not playing at our best,” he said.

“That was the frustrating part when we let ourselves down in matches, but we have arrived here in Los Angeles determined to finish strong.”

The Blitzboks reached a couple of targets – one was finishing in the top four during the regular season – which they achieved.

Now, they want to get back on the podium with another winner’s medal around their necks.

For the Springbok Women’s Sevens, a different target will be on their minds, but one that could bring plenty of success ahead of next season.

They play in the finals of the SVNS Series Playoffs, and a spot as a core team is up for grabs. The South Africans will face China, Ireland and Argentina in three already tough fixtures.

But the reward could be core status if they can manage a few upsets and make it to the knockouts in Los Angeles.

Both national teams will have plenty to play for, and after some mixed results for the South Africans, they’ll be keen to put in some flawless performances against tough opponents to reach their goals.