The Blitzboks started the Sandile Ngcobo coaching era with victory over Uruguay on the opening day of the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday. Photo: SA Rugby website
Blitzboks get Hong Kong Sevens campaign off to winning start
The Blitzboks started the Sandile Ngcobo coaching era with victory over Uruguay on the opening day of the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday.
The Blitzboks started the Sandile Ngcobo coaching era with victory over Uruguay on the opening day of the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday. Photo: SA Rugby website
Despite a slow first half, the Springbok Sevens team started the Sandile Ngcobo coaching era with a 21-0 victory over Uruguay on the opening day of the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday.
ALSO READ | ELTON JANTJIES’ WIFE IVA RISTIC POSTS 6 PICTURES LOVING LIFE IN CYPRUS
The tentative start was probably down to a little rustiness, but Uruguay also deserve some credit for the way they started their first game as the new core team on the World Series.
Selvyn Davids finally broke the deadlock with 30 seconds left in the first half, displaying some fancy footwork to rip open the Uruguayan defence and score his 70th try for the Blitzboks.
Ronald Brown’s conversion made it 7-0 at the break.
ALSO READ | EVERY TEST SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEKEND: FIXTURES AND KICK-OFF TIMES
Ninety seconds into the second half, Christie Grobbelaar took a quick penalty, fed Davids who put Shilton van Wyk away on the left for the Blitzboks’ second try. Brown was on target from out wide to make it 14-0.
Blitzboks will next play on Saturday
Brown then went from hero to villain and back to hero in a matter of a minute.
ALSO READ | SPRINGBOKS V IRELAND: WHAT TIME IS KICK-OFF?
First the fleet-footed playmaker lost the ball in the in-goal area as he was dotting down, but a minute later he scooped up a loose ball and didn’t make the same mistake again for the third South African try, which Brown converted himself to all but seal the win.
Uruguay finished strong but were denied by some good Blitzbok defence and it ended 21-0 to South Africa.
France underlined their class with a big 34-0 victory over Great Britain in the other Pool B game played on Friday.
The Blitzboks face both these sides on Saturday – Great Britain at 07:10 and France at 11:05 (SA times).
ALSO READ | SPRINGBOKS V IRELAND: KIT CLASH LEAVES FANS FUMING
SCORERS:
Springbok Sevens
Tries: Selvyn Davids, Shilton van Wyk, Ronald Brown
Conversions: Brown (3)
Uruguay
Nil
ALSO READ: HOW THE SPRINGBOKS CAN RETURN TO NUMBER 1 IN THE WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS
