The Blitzboks are gearing up for the HSBC SVNS World Championship opener in Hong Kong, and captain Impi Visser believes that finding the perfect game will be key to securing the title. After a strong performance in the SVNS Series, where they won four out of six tournaments, Visser says the team needs to up the ante even more to achieve their goals.
Visser, who recently played in his 50th world series tournament in the USA, stated that the team’s mindset for the tournament will be centered around their search for the perfect game. He feels that they did not achieve this during the recently completed series, despite their winning streak. “Yes, we are not quite there yet, especially on attack, where we can be much better than what we were in our last tournament in New York,” said Visser.
Preparations and Challenges
The team had a short time to prepare at home before traveling to Hong Kong, but Visser says their focus remains the same. “We believe we are the best team on the circuit and as such, we want to prove that by winning this weekend. Being the top ranked team will put a target on our backs, but that is fine. We want to be challenged, but mostly by ourselves,” he said. The Blitzboks will face Uruguay in their first match, and Visser warns against underestimating any team. “We all start at zero, so you underestimate any other team at your own peril,” he said.
Respect for the Opposition
Visser also expressed his respect for the other teams in the tournament, including those that qualified from HSBC SVNS 2, such as USA and Germany. The Blitzboks had training matches against these teams, which gave them a taste of the level of competition they can expect. “Twelve teams come into the same tournament hoping to achieve the same goal and that is to win it. So, we will approach all our opponents with that respect,” said Visser.
The status of the Hong Kong event also demands the best effort from the team, according to Visser. “Many great names in the game have played here. In a way, this is the home of sevens and where it all started. Just to be part of this is special, to finally finish victorious will be even more so,” he said. For more information on the World Rugby Sevens Series,
Here is the Blitzboks’ pool schedule (SA times, all matches live on SuperSport):
The team is ready to put in the effort required to win the tournament, and with their focus on finding the perfect game, they are confident of achieving their goals.
