Blitzboks cruise into last eight in Cape Town

The Blitzboks continued where they left in Dubai last weekend by winning all three matches on day one of the Cape Town leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series yesterday to top Pool A.

As in Dubai, the Blitzboks used brutally effective breakdown work coupled with clinical finishing to top the group with victories over Russia, the USA and Australia. They have now won nine out of nine matches this season.

By topping their pool the Blitzboks will face Pool D runners-up Wales in today's quarterfinals while the USA, who were runners-up to the Blitzboks face Scotland in the last eight.

Defending World Series champions Fiji were not at their best throughout day one, but still managed to win all three matches to secure top spot in Pool B.

The islanders, who also won the Olympic Games gold medal earlier this year, laboured to victories over Kenya and France but there is much more to come.

Their prize is a quarterfinal against Pool C runners-up England while Kenya will face New Zealand in the last Cup quarterfinal.

Twelve-time Series champions New Zealand initially looked out of sorts when they were held to a 19-19 draw by minnows Canada in their second match.

But they returned to form by crushing England 33-7 in their final Pool encounter to avoid Fiji in the last eight.

The Blitzboks though, are without doubt the form team in world sevens right now with every player contributing to their success.

Werner Kok, who missed the entire series last season due to a knee injury, returned to the form that made him the 2015 World Player of the Year.

He regularly cut the line and created havoc in contact situations while also helping himself to four tries on the day.

Captain Philip Snyman was also influential with regular tackle breaks and solid defensive work while veteran Cecil Afrika sprinkled his own brand of stardust on proceedings on a sweltering day in the Mother City.

Underlining how important a strong 12-man squad is to the sport, Ruhan Nel, Justin Geduld and Dylan Sage all added significant impact off the bench.

The Blitzboks scored 16 tries in three matches. Seven came in the opening match against Russia with Kok and current World Player of the Year Seabelo Senatla scoring two tries each as SA won 41-0.

Senatla, who scored 11 tries in Dubai last weekend, picked up where he left off by scoring the opening two tries against Russia.

Snyman added a third try just before halftime from a turnover, an area the Blitzboks dominated against the hapless eastern Europeans.

After the break Kok scored twice with Geduld adding a late try after the Russians again lost lineout ball.

It wasn't as straightforward in their second game with the USA making a bright start and opening the scoring through Maka Unufe in the third minute.

The USA also squandered a second chance close to the line the hosts made them pay for their largesse.

Afrika rounded off a hack ahead by Senatla and Branco du Preez converted to give SA the lead.

Seconds later Du Preez snapped up a loose ball close to the USA line and Kok was on hand to score his third try of the day.

Senatla then struck after the break, using his searing pace to scoot into the corner, dotting down for the third time in the day and the 14th time this season. Kok secured the win with a second try in the final seconds.

Australia were never in it in the day's final clash and were comfortably seen off 29-7 with Snyman darting over twice.

  - TMG Digital