VIDEO: Leyds - Why BlitzBoks must put their phones on flight mode
SPOTLIGHT: BlitzBok Tristan Leyds shared his experience of the Springbok Sevens team winning the first-ever Hong Kong title.
Following their SVNS World Series title win, the BlitzBoks went into the first leg of the World Championship having never won in Hong Kong, but rewrote the script to become the first Springbok Sevens team to clinch the title, doing it in style against Los Pumas.
Speaking to Rugby365 upon their airport arrival, Player of the Final Tristan Leyds shared the team’s experience of clinching the title for the first time.
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Rugby365: “How does it feel to be back after such a daunting tournament?”
Leyds: “It’s good to be home after long travelling hours, after doing a detour through Johannesburg, but it’s good to be back with our families and getting this warm welcome back in Cape Town is always special.
“Especially after this win in Hong Kong for the first time, the homecoming is special to have all the family, friends and supporters with us.”
Rugby365: “What were the first emotions the team felt after the full-time whistle blew at the end of the match?”
Leyds: “When the whistle went, there were a couple of crazy moments of shouting going on with the teammates.
“But it was a sense of relief, for us as a group to achieve something that’s never been done before in the BlitzBoks system [was special].
“It took us only 50 years to do it,” Leyds joked.
“One of the guys said doing it on the tournament’s 50th anniversary is something special.
“I don’t know if people saw it [on TV], but the fireworks there was pretty amazing.”
Rugby365: “You won the Player of the Final award, what does that mean to you?”
Leyds: “It’s very special. I think it was a close one between myself and Selvyn [Davids], who had a monster of a game.
“In one of our last scrums of the game, if I managed to get the ball [wide], he would’ve gone through for his hat-trick, and then it [the award] would’ve gone a different way.
“The guys around me allowed me to flourish, and they made me look good.”
Rugby365: “There are two more events to go to retain the World Championship. How do you get back to zero, and what’s the plan going forward for the remainder of the tournaments?”
Leyds: “It’s just about putting the phone on flight mode and getting some rest, staying on the couch and watching some series.
“We have a couple of days off before returning to training.
“I know there are a couple of guys back home who are pushing to take our spots.
“We’ll get back to zero, do some gym work, knowing they’ll give us a run for our money.
“I spoke to one of the guys, and I told him it’s time for him to show the world what he’s capable of, and he’s the one keeping me on my toes and helping me to flourish.”
