Share

Blitzboks skipper: We have no excuses

Cape Town - Blitzboks captain Philip Snyman was not making any excuses for his side's semi-final loss at the Cape Town Sevens on Sunday. 

Favourites to win the tournament on home soil, the Blitzboks were left stunned when they came unstuck to New Zealand in the last four, going down 19-12 in front of a packed Cape Town Stadium. 

The Blitzboks went on to beat Canada to secure third place, but it was small consolation given the level of expectation that had accompanied the side all week. 

Coach Neil Powell acknowledged afterwards that the pressure of playing in front of their home fans may have gotten to his players, but captain Philip Snyman was not prepared to make any excuses.

"It was a hectic week, but we don't want to make any excuses," he said.

"New Zealand were better than us today and I think they are going to be capable of winning a couple of tournaments this season."

Snyman, like Powell, said the Blitzboks had not delivered to their full potential. 

"It's the first time in many tournaments where I didn't feel that the guys played as a team ... it was more about individuals. Overall, I'm not happy with the way we performed," he said.

"We didn't stick to our gameplan and our structures. The result doesn't matter, we only focus on the processes and unfortunately we can't tick that box at the end of this tournament.

"There was nothing wrong with the effort ... but we make it hard for us as a team when we don't stick to the gameplan and the structure."

The next leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series takes place in Sydney on January 26-28.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1230 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1423 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2161 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE