South Africa Bok Women’s Sevens team pulled off a stunning victory against the USA in an electrifying start to their HSBC SVNS Singapore campaign but faltered against a dominant French side, showcasing both their resilience and areas needing improvement.
Renfred Dazel’s squad launched their tournament bid with an impressive comeback win over the USA, securing a 14-12 victory with a dramatic last-minute try and conversion.
Nadine Roos spearheaded the charge, responding to an early USA try with a pivotal score of her own, converting to level the match at 7-7 by halftime.
The Americans nudged ahead with a late try, but South Africa responded fiercely during a sin-bin period, culminating in Simamkele Namba’s match-winning try, expertly converted by Roos.
However, the Springbok Women’s euphoria was short-lived as they faced a formidable French side in their second pool encounter.
France, ranked third globally, stamped their authority early, amassing a commanding 28-0 lead by halftime and ultimately securing a comprehensive 49-0 victory with seven tries, including a brace each from Seraphine Okemba and Lou Noel.
Assistant Coach Cecil Africa acknowledged the team’s mixed performance, acknowledging a stark contrast in their play across the two matches.
“We played very well in our first game, but very poor against France and that was not up to our standards,” commented Africa, reflecting on the team’s contrasting displays.
“France dominated us physically at the breakdowns and carrying the ball in contact, so we’ll have to make a massive step-up in that regard – as players and coaches. We will have to take a hard look at ourselves to see what we can do to prepare the ladies so that they can improve,” Africa remarked, outlining areas for immediate improvement.
Despite the setback, Africa praised the team’s potential and resilience displayed against the USA.
“We were quite clinical and they really executed the plan to a tee. We gained a lot of confidence from that game, but maybe we were a bit complacent against France,” he noted, emphasizing the need for a renewed focus and intensity moving forward.
Looking ahead, the Bok Women’s team is poised for a critical showdown against Japan in their final pool fixture, scheduled for Saturday morning.
“Hopefully we can reset and come back tomorrow with a big effort against Japan,” Africa remarked optimistically. “The message is simple – we have to beat them to make sure we play in the quarter-finals, and take some confidence from this tournament.”
The South Africa Bok Women will aim to regroup and rediscover their winning formula as they prepare for their decisive clash with Japan, determined to secure their spot in the quarter-finals and build on the positive strides made during their spirited victory over the USA.
PHOTOS: SA Rugby
