Miserly Blitzbokke a cut above
Springbok Sevens captain Kyle Brown was full of praise for the defensive commitment his team showed in Dubai.
The Blitzbokke blew Australia away in the final on Saturday after securing a semifinal victory over New Zealand, and are now just two points behind Fiji who lead the standings on 39 points.
The teams now head to South Africa for Round Three of the World Series next weekend at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth where the hosts will be defending champions.
The Springbok Sevens conceded a paltry seven points on match day two while collecting 101 points against Argentina, Series champions New Zealand and a resurgent Australia.
They were in outstanding form against traditional rivals New Zealand in the semifinals, scoring four converted tries without conceding a point (28-0) to secure their spot in the Final against the impressive Aussies who defeated Fiji in a thrilling semifinal that went into extra-time.
Captain Brown, who made his comeback in Dubai after missing the Gold Coast because of a shoulder injury, said his team put in a much improved performance on Saturday.
“We knew we did not play our best rugby in the Gold Coast and probably not even yesterday [Friday], but we got the ball rolling, which was important. I think our defensive efforts were simply outstanding and it’s great to play in such a committed team,” said Brown.
Coach Neil Powell, who led the South Africans to Commonwealth Games gold in July, was equally pleased.
“We tried to play with variation and the guys really bought into the plan. The players deserve the credit for an outstanding display,” explains the Blitzboks coach.
“We are not the biggest team on the circuit, but we are very physical and don’t stand back for any team in the tackle. Our form at the breakdown area was very good and we really took our scoring opportunities well,” he added.
