Cape Town - After a slow start, the Springbok Sevens side found their rhythm and ran in eight tries to outclass Uganda 46-0 in the Dubai Sevens on Friday.
In new captain Philip Snyman’s first game in charge as the long-term leader of the team, it was former skipper Kyle Brown who set up the opening try for the South Africans with a superb break from inside his own half to unlock the feisty Ugandan defence.
Werner Kok just had to walk over to dot down for the first time, but it took a while before the Blitzboks scored again as their African counterparts maintained a good defensive structure.
But Snyman was the one to make the breakthrough, showing off some fancy footwork as he stepped past five Ugandans to score his team’s second try.
There was still time for one more before halftime, and it was a try to remember as Brown put in a wonderful cross-kick to find Snyman, who stopped the defence and then wormed his way over.
At that stage, supreme speedster Seabelo Senatla hadn’t really featured, but that was quickly put right after the break as he ran in two quick tries to get on to the scoreboard.
While the Ugandans weren’t much of a test, Blitzbok coach Neil Powell will know that Scotland (11.06am SA time) and the USA (5.06pm) will provide tougher opposition.
“This was only game one, and now we need to focus on the next game. But very happy with the first one, I think it was a good foundation and we can build some confidence into the next game,” Snyman said after the match.
POINTS-SCORERS
South Africa– Tries: Werner Kok, Philip Snyman (2), Seabelo Senatla (2), Rosko Specman, Ruhan Nel, Kwagga Smith. Conversions: Branco du Preez (2), Justin Geduld (1).
ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za
@ashfakmohamed
Independent Media