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'We really hurt them... that is what Springboks 7s stands for'
Philip Snyman was the happiest South African in Hong Kong on Friday. It was October 2019 when he was forced to retire from playing at the age of 32.
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Five years later, he began his interim head coaching role with the Blitzbok with two successive pool wins – quite an upturn in fortunes for a team that finished in 11th place in Los Angeles last month.
That derisory effort resulted in the removal of Sandile Ngcobo as head coach and SA Rugby decided to promote his assistant Snyman for the hectic end-of-season run-in.
After Hong Kong, South Africa will play in Singapore next month looking to stay in the top eight ahead of the Grand Final in Madrid in May. They also have a last chance saloon for Olympics qualification, the Monaco repechage event in June.
In Snyman, who debuted for the series-winning Blitzboks in 2008 and was an Olympic Games bronze medallist in 2016, they have a temporary head mentor who has seen and done it all in the South African jersey, and his interim tenure got off to a flyer with respective 22-17 and 24-10 pool wins over Ireland and Spain.
"Massive step up, very proud of you…"
– @Blitzboks huddle after their 22-17 Hong Kong pool victory over Ireland; they won despite a late red card. #SouthAfrica #HK7s #HSBCSVNS @SVNSSeries @OfficialHK7s
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 5, 2024
“I’m very happy with the two wins on day one,” he told RugbyPass in the aftermath. “We started very well against Ireland – we put points on the board early and then second half we struggled with the red card defending with six, but we really showed character and they came out on top.
“The game against Spain, they scored the first try but the moment we got our hands on the ball, we really hurt them. So yes, I am really proud of the guys. They really made the jersey proud and that is what Springboks 7s stands for.
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“The difference was we wanted to fight for each other and we know that (previous tournaments) wasn’t our standard. We said, ‘Leave everything in the past behind us, just focus on the future’ and that was game one and game two.
“Even now we will leave those two wins behind us and you focus on the next one against Samoa. I still believe there are a couple of errors, something we can improve on for Saturday and we want to top our pool.”
What was it like in recent weeks having got the call to step up and take charge in an emergency? “It’s a big challenge coming in in the middle of the season but the players made it really easy. They bought into what we want to do. We had a clear goal in mind, we set it out and they bought in.
“With the leaders in the squad and the rest of the management, we all strive to do something and that is to restore the pride in the Springboks sevens jersey and to get that belief back. Slowly but surely we are busy doing that.”
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Multiple Springboks jersey-wearing fans cheered them on loudly from the stands. “Hong Kong is always special, loads of support here for our team and very happy with the two wins but it doesn’t stop.
“We need to go back, keep our feet on the ground, stay humble and Saturday morning Samoa is going to be a difficult team, so we need to rock up for that first one, rectify our mistakes and then hopefully – and I believe we can – give the crowd something to cheer come the end of this tournament.”
- Click here to follow all the action live from Hong Kong on RugbyPass TV
"That's what Springboks 7s stands for… "
– New @Blitzboks boss Philip Snyman on his team's two-wins-from-two Friday, from Liam Heagney ?? in Hong Kong. #SouthAfrica #HK7s #HSBCSVNS @SVNSSeries @OfficialHK7s
Catch all the action live on RugbyPass TV https://t.co/z90EMWWBPa pic.twitter.com/xFosKeFGHa
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 5, 2024
Comments on RugbyPass
SACK HIM !
1 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
75 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
75 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
75 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
75 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
75 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
75 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
75 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
75 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
75 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
75 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
75 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to comments