‘We don’t fear them’: Blitzboks ready for must-win clash with SVNS leaders

David Brits insists South Africa “don’t fear” HSBC SVNS Series leaders Argentina after the teams were drawn into the same pool of death for this weekend’s event in Singapore. Great Britain are the other side in Pool A, but only of these teams can progress through to the semi-finals.

With the same competition format from last December’s stop in Cape Town being used, all 12 teams have been spread across four pools instead of three. The event in Singapore on April 5-6 allows for only the top-placed side in each group to stay alive in the title race.

Hong Kong Sevens finalists France will take on relegation-threatened sides Ireland and Kenya in Pool B, while Australia has been pitted against Spain and Uruguay in Pool C. New Zealand, Fiji and the USA round out the men’s draw as the three sides in the fourth group.

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The Blitzboks are eager to bounce back in Singapore after a ninth-place finish at Kai Tak Stadium on Sunday. South Africa were beaten quite convincingly by Australia and New Zealand early on which saw them miss the quarter-finals and place inside the bottom four.

But the Blitzboks have a chance to put that behind them this weekend when they take the field for the final regular season event before the World Championship in LA on May 3-4. They’ll take on GB at 7:26 am [SAST] and Hong Kong Sevens champions Argentina at 10:44 am on Saturday.

“I prefer this format, to be honest – playing only four games is far less taxing on your legs, but that is just my preference,” Brits said before departing Cape Town for Singapore on Monday..

“Yes, we are playing Argentina again, like we did in Cape Town, and I believe we can get the same result. They are playing well at the moment and deservedly won last weekend, but we don’t fear them as an opponent.

“We know that if we are at our best, we can beat anyone. Last weekend, we had some lapses, teams targeted us at the breakdown and we battled to get decent possession. But that is done now, we still start this week with a clean slate and determined to deliver a great result.”

Brits is back in South Africa’s squad as one of two changes to the group ahead of the sixth leg of the campaign. Sebastiaan Jobb has also been called up, while the injured Quewin Nortje and Gino Cupido make way in the 13-man group.

It was confirmed before the Hong Kong Sevens that Cupido would return home to South Africa after the event to join the Junior Springbok training squad. Meanwhile, Brits was on standby as injury cover.

Brits was the hero for the Blitzboks earlier this season in a pool stage clash with Australia at HBF Park in Perth. With the Aussies ahead by two points, Brits scored the match-winner with two minutes left to play, with the South Africans triumphing in that thriller 10-7.

“We continued with our training on this side, in case of a call-up, so I am ready and eager to go,” Brits reflected.

“I will bring some smiles and lots of energy with me, that is for sure. The guys will also be happy to see a familiar face or two from home after almost two weeks on tour.

“Our performances were not the usual standard, so the mood will be down. That is professional sport for you, the highest of highs, but also the lowest of lows. But they will be back, this team is good enough, as they have shown in the past, to play and win finals.”

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Blitzboks squad for SVNS Singapore 

#2 Ryan Oosthuizen – 54 tournaments, 230 points (46 tries)

#3 Impi Visser (co-captain) – 44 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)

#4 Zain Davids – 51 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)

#5 Ricardo Duarttee – 17 tournaments, 276 points (21 tries, 84 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

#8 Selvyn Davids (co-captain) – 40 tournaments, 719 points (94 tries, 123 conversions, 1 penalty goal)

#10 Dewald Human – 30 tournaments, 305 points (27 tries, 85 conversions)

#11 Siviwe Soyizwapi – 58 tournaments, 780 points (156 tries)

#12 Shilton van Wyk – 25 tournaments, 240 points (48 tries)

#15 Donavan Don – 8 tournaments, 59 points (11 tries, 2 conversions)

#16 Sebastiaan Jobb – 3 tournaments, 15 points (3 tries)

#19 David Brits – 7 tournaments, 40 points (8 tries)

#21 Zander Reynders – 4 tournaments, 0 points

#24 Tristan Leyds – 9 tournaments, 114 points (14 tries, 22 conversions)