Blitzboks coach Sandile Ngcobo has plenty to ponder as they head into Singapore for yet another weekend of unpredictability.
His early days as a Blitzbok were a breeze for Shaun Williams. In fact, the former Garsfontein High School learner and University of Johannesburg graduate would have been excused if he thought playing on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series was easy pickings while representing the Springbok Sevens in Vancouver, Edmonton, Dubai (twice) and Seville.
The Springbok Sevens produced a much-improved display in Hong Kong this weekend despite losing three key games by less than one score, and as a result of their sixth place, they climbed two spots on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series standings – from seventh to fifth – with three tournaments to go in the season.
Seven stops into the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, and there has already been five different tournament winners, with only New Zealand and Argentina having won more than once, while Australia, South Africa and Samoa have also stood on the top step of the podium since the season kicked off in Hong Kong last November.
They may have arrived in Hong Kong with their backs to the wall, but the Springbok Sevens team know where to make the necessary improvements to get back on track with only four tournaments left in the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Springbok Sevens coach Sandile Ngcobo included three uncapped players in the Blitzbok squad for the next two tournaments on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with Donovan Don, Ethan James and Sebastiaan Jobb in line for their first taste of international sevens rugby in the next fortnight.
The Springbok Sevens team will leave no stone unturned to get back to winning ways when they return to South Africa on Tuesday after a disappointing North American leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
SA Rugby Sevens ‘A’ squad members Noegh Hayward and Gurshwin Wehr will join the Springbok Sevens team in Vancouver on Wednesday and will make their HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series debuts at BC Place on the weekend at HSBC Canada Sevens.
The Springbok Women's Sevens squad showed good progress and understanding of what is needed to be successful in this year's World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, and team coach Renfred Dazel said he was very happy with their effort.
The Springbok Sevens squad remained amongst the top four contenders of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at the halfway stage of the competition, but failed to fire on the second day of the HSBC LA Sevens at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.