In a surprising turn of events in Vancouver, the Springbok Sevens, commonly known as the Blitzboks, faced a setback by missing out on a top-eight finish in the HSBC SVNS series for the first time this season. The pivotal moment came in their final Pool C match, where they succumbed to a 22-10 defeat against Ireland on Saturday night (SA time).
At halftime, the scoreline remained tight at 10-5 in favor of Ireland, with David Brits managing to score a try for the Blitzboks. However, the Irish dominance in the aerial battle and restarts, coupled with lapses in individual Blitzbok defense, proved costly.
Two late tries by Ireland sealed the fate of the South African side, marking their first instance of finishing last in the pool this season.
Determined to salvage some pride on the second day of the tournament, the Blitzboks faced the hosts, Canada, and secured a 20-14 victory. Impi Visser and Rosko Specman delivered early tries, reflecting a team clearly stung by their pool-stage struggles.
Despite another try by David Brits extending the lead to 20-7, Canada mounted a comeback in the second half. Only a resilient scramble defense by the South Africans prevented Canada from scoring a potential match winner.
With the disappointment of missing out on the quarter-finals, the Blitzboks now brace for a clash against Australia in the ninth-place final on Sunday at 21h21 (SA time). The once-promising tournament has turned into a challenging journey for the team, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the HSBC SVNS series.
