Rugby
Snyman laments poor first day at Olympics─── MORGAN PIEK 08:26 Thu, 25 Jul 2024
“We’re still in it, but that’s up to us and if we play like we did today and we don’t get ourselves ready and up for that game, Japan is going come out hard at us, and we’re going to make the long day for ourselves.”
The Springbok Sevens coach, Philip Snyman, has lamented his team’s performance following the opening day of the rugby competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Wednesday.
The Blitzboks were dominated in the contact and at the breakdown as they were first beaten 10-5 by Ireland and then 17-5 by New Zealand. Both the Irish and Kiwis managed to starve South Africa of possession, and when they did have the ball, proper decision-making was lacking, and they also didn’t protect it as well as they should have.
‘The Blitzboks are still in for a shout to make the quarter-finals’
South Africa’s defence was also not up to scratch and this will be a big work on during the very short turnaround ahead of their third game. The math is pretty simple, South Africa needs to win, otherwise they will be boarding the next flight back home.
The Blitzboks are still in for a shout to make the quarter-finals of the Olympics but that will require a good win against Japan on Thursday
The Springbok Sevens team – Blitzboks. Photo supplied
The former Cheetahs winger Snyman, who won bronze with the Blitzboks at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, said his team needs to man up to keep their faint chances alive.
“We’re still in it, but that’s up to us and if we play like we did today and we don’t get ourselves ready and up for that game, Japan is going come out hard at us, and we’re going to make the long day for ourselves,” said Snyman.
“So, it’s all in our hands – if we come up tomorrow morning and everybody fires together, in defence and we do exactly what we are capable of, and then on attack keep our ball and put points on the board, then this team can play in the quarter-finals and even go further.
‘There is concern over Quewin Nortjé who left the field against New Zealand’
“But not if we play the way that we played today.”
There is also concern over the blistering fast Quewin Nortjé who left the field against New Zealand with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
The Blitzboks and Japan will square off at 16:00 on Thursday afternoon.
