Coach calls on Blitzboks to play without 'fear’ as Cape Town drought continues
Blitzboks assistant coach Philip Snyman has called on his team to play with “confidence and not out of fear” after South Africa failed to win their home SVNS Series event for another year.
South Africa hasn’t tasted championship success in front of their home fans since the Cape Town SVNS in the 2015/16 season, and that drought will continue for at least another year.
After starting their campaign in the Western Cape with two wins from as many starts, the Blitzboks were bested in a two-point thriller against Ireland in an upset on Saturday evening.
But it just went from bad to worse for last weekend’s Dubai SVNS champions who were blitzed by surprise package Australia 28-nil on Sunday morning, and then defeated by New Zealand later on.
The All Blacks Sevens, who had lost three of four games at the Cape Town SVNS before playing South Africa, ran riot as a Cody Vai double inspired a comfortable 31-7 win.
“The last tour started in Dubai, fantastic win there and that’s in the past now. Started off great here in Cape Town but unfortunately the last three games didn’t go our way,” coach Snyman told reporters.
“It’s only ourselves (to blame)… we were a little bit slow to react to opportunities, we gave ball possession away out of character and also missed a lot of tackles.
“One thing that we must go and look at (is) if we keep the ball in hand we can punish teams, but the moment we start chasing games and we don’t have control, then we struggle.
“We need to look at ourselves and fix those mistakes.”
The vibrant home crowd at the Cape Town Stadium was incredibly vocal whenever the Blitzboks took the field, and that passionate support seemed to spur the South Africans on for a while.
Uncharacterised errors from superstar players made their way into the Blitzboks’ game, and opposition players tended to pounce on these mistakes as they ran away with big wins.
The pressure of the occasion seemed to play a part, as well as what appeared to be fatigue under the evening sun in Cape Town.
“We’re going one game at a time and obviously the first two games went to plan. After that we struggled to get momentum and I think it all started with doing stuff out of character,” Snyman said.
“We need to come back stronger so it’s definitely something we’ll be looking at; how to handle that pressure, if it’s pressure from the outside, if it’s pressure from the inside.
“But one thing we must make sure is this team operates out of confidence and not out of fear then we will be successful.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Great to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
1 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
10 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
10 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
10 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
2 Go to comments