Captain Soyizwapi opens up about Blitzboks’ stunning winning run

The record-breaking Blitzboks notched up their 34^th consecutive win and sixth consecutive title on the World Sevens Series over the past weekend as they continued to dominate the 2021/22 competition.

They comfortably brushed aside Australia in the final to draw level with New Zealand Sevens’ run of consecutive wins, which is the second highest run in Sevens rugby history.

It is an incredible feat, started during the shortened 2021 World Series which saw just two events played in Canada due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with the Blitzboks duly winning both those events.

They then picked up where they left off in the new season, winning the first two tournaments in Dubai and then followed that up with wins in Malaga and this past weekend in Seville, to break their own consecutive and tournament wins records.

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“It’s funny because if you went around the team to find out how many know about the records you’d find it is only a few that know, against the majority who are not aware,” claimed injured Blitzboks captain Siviwe Soyizwapi on Monday.

“So it is a massive feat, but it’s something that we do not focus on. It is definitely something to be proud of, only one team has won more games and titles in a row.

“But what I am most proud of is our processes and how we implement them, because what we strive for is perfection and if we can’t be perfect at least we hit excellence, and if you look at those numbers and records we are definitely doing something right.”

The current record is also held by New Zealand, who during the 2007-2008 series went on a remarkable run of 47 straight wins and seven titles in a row, before the Blitzboks put an end to it at the Adelaide Sevens in Australia that year.

Now the Blitzboks stand on the verge of possibly overtaking that record if they can win the next two tournaments and the first two matches in the following event, which would put them on 48 wins and eight titles.

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“No I don’t think anyone is thinking about that, we are only focussed on what is ahead of us,” said Soyizwapi.

One thing critics have pointed out about this Blitzboks run is that a number of major teams were not available for the two tournaments in Canada and while some have returned to the series since, Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa have yet to return due to Coronavirus complications.

 “We can only play the teams that are in front of us and that is what we have been doing, so we are happy with how we have played and aren’t worried that some top teams haven’t been playing,” explained Soyizwapi.

“But in saying that, if you look at Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa, that’s three top teams who aren’t on the tour and it would be great to play against them again.

“These are teams who bring something different and when you play at the highest level you want to play against the best, so I hope that they can return to the series soon.

“With the Commonwealth Games and a World Cup coming up it would be great for the series to see them back playing so hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later.”