Samoa embarrass pathetic Blitzboks
6 May 2012
The Springboks Sevens were smashed 47-0 in the Plate semi-final on day two of the Glasgow Sevens.
Samoa dominated the fixture, running in seven tries in South Africa’s worst World Series performance ever. Four were scored in the first half, while three were dotted down after the break. Alatasi Topou was the star for the victors as he scored a brace and kicked six conversions. Tom Iosefo also grabbed a hat-trick in the opening stanza.
The mauling by the Pacific Islanders was the final nail in a poor tournament campaign in Scotland. South Africa only managed to edge minnows Russia (17-14) and Scotland (19-14) and were beaten by Wales (17-5) in what should’ve been an easy Pool D on day one. They were then eliminated from the Cup section by England (19-14) earlier on day two, failing to capitalise on a potential match-winning opportunity at the death as they lacked composure and patience on attack.
Yes, the Springbok Sevens travelled to Glasgow with a weakened squad (the likes of Cecil Afrika, Kyle Brown and Paul Delport were injured) and there were several youngsters who made their international debuts, but the team still had enough quality to achieve better. Senior players like Frankie Horne, Chris Dry and Branco du Preez were available, and should’ve led the side more effectively.
This is a new low for South African sevens rugby. Paul Treu and co will need to take damage control ahead of the final leg of the 2011-12 World Series in England next weekend, and reflection and important steps forward must be taken thereafter before the new season. While the road to the 2016 Olympic Games is vital, these results in Scotland are unacceptable. And blooding new talent is not a worthy excuse.
Treu has a great sevens rugby mind, and firing him (which will be the call by some) is not the answer. The Blitzboks coach struggles to lure the quality players needed to compete with the best sevens nations in the world – mainly because Super Rugby, the Currie Cup and (to a certain extent) even the Vodacom Cup is seen as a more respectable platform than the opportunity of touring the world with the national sevens squad. Why is a player like Sibusiso Sithole, who impressed for the Blitzboks last season, playing for the Sharks XV, especially when he could’ve added value on the international sevens stage?
Saru needs to step in and help Treu’s cause. Yes, they gave the team a fancy, lavish base in Stellenbosch, but they need to assist with the player recruitment drive and establish a proper provincial sevens system. Hopefully the demolition from Samoa will be the all-time low needed to spark a change.
Blitzboks fixtures (day two):
Cup quarter-final – South Africa 14 England 19
Plate semi-final – South Africa 0 Samoa 47
Click here for all day two fixtures and results
By Gareth Duncan
61 Comments
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7 May 2012, 00:36 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-7:
May I say again: Who cares what you think?
7 May 2012, 04:27 am
Too many Orks no surprise here… Treu has had his time… Olympics around the corner… fresh coaching team in that can utilise the veritable smorgasbord of bigger, talented, loose-forwards RSA has…
Or else simply be content with making the plate finals more often than not… as Treu is with his Orks…
7 May 2012, 06:27 am
I have to question thsi hogwash about True having a brilliant sevens brain. Yes he won the title a couple of years ago. So what.
If he had a brilliant rugby brain he would have been able to work out system that work and can be easily understood and followed by rookies too., or would have the backup squad well versed in his systems.
The more I see the BB’s playing, the more convinced I am that the series win was a flash in the pan, and down to him having a very special group of talented ball players that made stuff happen for themsleves. If SA doesn’t have enough flanks with speed AND ball playing ability to be able compete CONSISTENTLY at sevens, then NOBODY does. The fact that we dont dominate consistently is a failure. The only reason that I can see for this failure is the coach.
7 May 2012, 06:47 am
Those arrogant Samoans must think they own the game. They deserved the victory at RWC too until the ridiculous RC let the PrickBoks off the numpty hook.
7 May 2012, 06:58 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-54:
Yawn
Go f u k a pig or something………
7 May 2012, 07:57 am
@JL1(JL1)-45: Yes I have also stopped buying the mag.
7 May 2012, 09:00 am
I see Keo is being their own self again, very predictable. Why is it that when the aussies or kiwis are hit by injury its the first thing keo points out because lets face it, if it was any of those two teams the headline would look somthing like this “Injury hit aus/nz beaten by samoa” but because its the Boks they are pethetic, which makes me wonder why are there so many South Africans on a site that clearly does not support the Boks? Yes the Bok 7′s were well beaten but compare this article to one that would have been about aus or nz should it happen to them and you will find the articlle will be in stark contrast.
7 May 2012, 09:02 am
Does this 47 – 0 of True rank with the 49 – 0 of White?
Mmmm………..
7 May 2012, 12:47 pm
@whatever(whatever)-55:
lol
Tell boks going south your address and he will
7 May 2012, 19:35 pm
I agree with Oranjebliksemblou. Sometimes these ‘ hacks ‘ that report need to choose there words more carefully. The Blitzbokke had been plagued with injuries and agreed faired poorly but to use words like pathetic isnt called for. I wonder if youd use the same rhetoric to their faces ??? In fact I wonder what level of rugby Mr Gareth Duncan has ever played. If youre going to be critical make it constructive. Instead of just bagging national players who Im sure do their best when wearing a national jersey. Something you would not know about
7 May 2012, 21:16 pm
I also can not imagine why a player would play vodacom cup rugby rather than national sevens. Maybe he was promised a place in the super rugby squad. Come to think of it, why is there even such athing as vodacom cup? Methinks it would be much better for SA rugby to scratch that competition and invest the money in club rugby. Clubs are dying all over the country and dragging down SA rugby with it.
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