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Rugby

Snyman insists on improvement by the Blitzboks

───   MORGAN PIEK 09:20 Mon, 02 Dec 2024

Snyman insists on improvement by the Blitzboks | News Article
Ricardo Duarttee. Photo: X

Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman has expressed disappointment with the team’s sixth-place finish at the Emirates Dubai 7s.

He cited their inability to secure and maintain possession as the primary area for improvement ahead of the SVNS Cape Town event at Cape Town Stadium.

With a new tournament format in Cape Town leaving no room for error, Snyman remains optimistic that the Blitzboks can bounce back. Reflecting on their Dubai performance, he acknowledged some positives, including topping Pool A on the first day. However, narrow losses to New Zealand and France on Sunday left both him and the squad frustrated.

The loss to New Zealand ended the Blitzboks’ hopes of claiming a sixth consecutive Dubai title. Snyman said it was disappointing that they did not respect the ball possession, which needs to be addressed going forward. “We gave away so much possession, it’s almost unreal,” said the former Free State winger and Blitzbok captain.

“We had the least possession in the tournament, which is unacceptable. To compound that, we often lost the ball when we did have it. In both matches against New Zealand and France, we had possession to close out the game but handed it to our opponents, who then scored and defeated us. That’s just not acceptable.”

Snyman also highlighted struggles with restart receptions, an issue that gifted possession back to their opponents repeatedly.

“There’s no excuse for failing to catch the ball. It’s something basic, yet we fell short. This will be a key focus area for improvement this week.”

In addition to possession woes, defensive lapses were a concern, with ineffective one-on-one tackling leading to costly tries. “We had a poor weekend in three key areas: possession, restarts, and defence. But all of these are areas we can improve. We’re a hard-working squad, and I have no doubt we’ll bounce back.”

Looking ahead to the Cape Town tournament, where South Africa is grouped in Pool C with Argentina and Ireland, Snyman is determined to deliver a strong performance for the home crowd.

“There were standout players in Dubai, particularly in the A-side, who’ve made strong cases for selection. Someone like Donavan Don really showcased his abilities, which was exciting to see.”

Snyman revealed plans to invite additional players to training this week to foster a competitive environment before finalising the squad on Thursday.

The new Cape Town format intensifies the stakes, with only pool winners advancing to Sunday’s semi-finals. Each pool match is now a must-win affair.

Cape Town Pools:

Pool A - Fiji, Great Britain, Uruguay

Pool B - Spain, Australia, Kenya

Pool C - South Africa, Argentina, Ireland

Pool D - New Zealand, France, USA

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