Time for Blitzboks to strike gold at major event

The Blitzboks will be gunning to play at their true potential when they battle it out in the Commonwealth Games this weekend and then host the Sevens World Cup on home soil in September, in coach Neil Powell’s swansong.

Despite having enjoyed success on the World Sevens Series where they have won four titles, including three in the past five years, while also finishing as runner-up eight times including in 2019-20, they have not enjoyed as much success in major tournaments.

Taking the Sevens World Cup, which has been held seven times since 1993, the Olympic Sevens, which has been held twice since 2016 and the Commonwealth Games Sevens which has been held six times since 1998, the Blitzboks have only managed to claim one title.

ALSO READ: Schedule revealed for Rugby World Cup Sevens

Their sole win came in the 2014 Commonwealth Games staged in Glasgow, Scotland, where a star studded team featuring Kwagga Smith, Seabelo Senatla, Warren Whiteley and Cecil Afrika, amongst others, helped guide them to the gold medal.

Their only other medal placings across those three tournaments saw them finish as runners-up in the 1997 Sevens World Cup, while claiming the bronze medal in the 2002 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2016 Rio Olympics.

It has thus been a largely frustrating run in major events, particularly in the last two to happen during the Blitzboks impressive World Series run.

This being the 2018 Commonwealth Games where they finished fourth and a bitterly disappointing showing at the 2020 (2021 due to Covid) Tokyo Olympics where despite being one of the pre-tournament favourites, they were knocked out in the quarterfinals and finished fifth.

Most good work down to Powell

A lot of the Blitzboks good work over the past nine years has come from their coach Powell, who having represented the team extensively during his playing career, including being a part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games Bronze medal winning team, then led them to their 2014 triumph.

He then built an impressive squad that has gone on to basically dominate the Sevens World Series, along with Fiji, during his time at the helm, finishing as runners-up in 2013-14 behind New Zealand, and again as runners-up in 2014-15 and 2015-16 behind Fiji.

In 2017-18 and 2018-19 the Blitzboks then won back to back series, before a blip in 2018-19 saw them finish fourth, before another runner-up spot in 2019-20 was followed up by another triumph in 2021.

Thus during his time as coach the Blitzboks have won three titles along with Fiji, while New Zealand have picked up two.

It has been a very successful spell under Powell with it now coming to an end, as he will link up with the Sharks as their Director of Rugby following the Sevens World Cup in Cape Town in September.

Powell will be hoping to end his tenure on a high and pick up some more silverware, with three huge opportunities available during the next two months.

The Commonwealth Games this weekend will be followed by the final round of the 2021-22 World Sevens Series which the Blitzboks lead in a tight race, with the Los Angeles event set for the 27^th and 28^th of August.

The Sevens World Cup will then be battled out at the Cape Town Stadium from the ninth to the 11^th of September, with the current squad hoping to give Powell the perfect send-off.

Talking about the chances of his current charges over the coming few months Powell said: “This is definitely a team that is capable of being successful if they can reach their potential.

“At times this year we have been our own worst enemy which is why we have struggled in our last four events.

“But if we can be accurate enough in our decision making and if we can implement our plans better, then I firmly believe that this group can reach their potential on the field and that will lead to success in the major tournaments.”