IMPI GEARED UP: Blitzboks wants to wen in Vancouver Sevens

AFTER winning gold twice and silver twice at BC Place in Vancouver in earlier versions of the Canadian leg of the SVNS Series, the Blitzboks are well aware of their underwhelming performances in recent seasons.

According to co-captain Impi Visser, coach Philip Snyman’s Blitzboks are adamant to change their fortunes this year and to improve on their ninth-place finish from 2024, when the team looked out of sorts at times.

The Blitzboks will face New Zealand, Ireland and Australia in a tough pool this weekend.

Visser added that their effort on Friday in their opening match against New Zealand will be a unified one where everyone is sharing the same objectives.

Visser says: “Last time around, we were a bit disjointed, and it showed in our play.

“Credit to the management who sorted all the little niggles out, as we arrived here a happy and determined squad, cold as it may be in Vancouver.

“The environment they created allows the relationship amongst the players to be as healthy as they can be, and we all flourish as a group because of that.”

That cohesion will reflect in their play, Visser feels, and the form book suggests the same. After winning the Cape Town tournament and a close fourth-place finish in Perth, the necessary adjustments were made to be competitive in Canada as well.

He adds: “We had some calls not going our way in Perth, but we still played good rugby.

“We did very good work in the pre-season, so that foundation was laid and our success or not in tournaments will boil down to our execution on the day.

“We have some brilliant individual players who really bring something to the party, so the key for us is to combine as a team in order to benefit from those skilled players.”

The Vancouver leg is the fourth of the world series.