The Blitzboks are in action at the Paris Olympics from Wednesday. Picture: Blitzboks/X
While most of the athletes still have a few days to familiarise themselves with the Olympic Village and what is to come at the 2024 Games in Paris, starting on Friday, that is not the case for the South African Sevens rugby team.
For the Blitzboks it’s go, go, go from tomorrow (Wednesday) when the Sevens tournament gets under way at the Stade de France.
The tournament is being held at the very start of the Paris Olympic Games and both the men’s and women’s teams will be in action.
For the men, who’ve been among the world’s leading teams over the years, it’s a chance to do something special after performing poorly during the most recent World Rugby Sevens Series. The Blitzboks failed to qualify directly for the Games and also missed out through African qualifying.
Only in the last month, following their win at the Olympic repechage tournament in Monaco, did the team of Philip Snyman book their place at the Games.
They will now look to make the most of their good fortune and try bag a first medal for South Africa. The last time the Blitzboks won anything at the Olympics was in 2016 when they came home with bronze from Rio.
But it won’t be easy for the Blitzboks; they’re in a tough pool with Ireland, New Zealand and Japan.
Their only focus now though is on the Irish, who’ve been something of a revelation on the world circuit in the last few years and got the better of the Boks on more than one occasion recently.
Veteran Rosko Specman, one of the team members of the bronze-winning team from the 2016 Games, is hopeful though the Blitzboks can pull off a surprise first up.
“They’ve given us a hard time this season, but we’ve seen what they will bring (to the contest),” said Specman ahead of the clash.
“This team of ours is ready. There is a nice energy and the coach has a good plan for us … I think we’ll have the upphand this time.”
The Blitzboks’ opener against Ireland is at 5.30pm on Wednesday, and that’s followed by another big clash, against New Zealand at 9.30pm. Their final pool match against Japan is on Thursday at 4pm.
The women’s tournament starts on Sunday.
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