The Springbok Sevens team won’t be looking for revenge when they head into this weekend’s Wellington Sevens tournament, the latest leg on the HSBC World Series.
SuperSport
Instead they will be looking to improve their own play in a tournament they traditionally struggle in, to ensure that they take another step forward as a team in their quest to win the world crown.
Blitzbokke captain Kyle Brown was adamant that despite the loss to New Zealand in Port Elizabeth in December, the door had been closed on that tournament and the team had moved forward.
“We’re not disappointed at how we played in Port Elizabeth,” Brown told SuperSport.com, “We were happy at how we grew as a team in the three weeks together and we did our best. Now what we need to do is carry on that momentum. I don’t think we will get all emotional or talk about revenge over New Zealand. We want to do as well as we can.”
Brown acknowledges that Wellington hasn’t been their best stomping ground in the past, with the slower pitch not helping their pacy game plan much.
“We haven’t done fantastically but we will be using our same old recipe of not looking too far ahead. We have a tough pool against the Cook Islands, USA and England. All we will be looking for is a good start and to take it from there. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Brown was keen to put in a good word for former Bulls midfielder Stephan Dippennaar, who will make his Blitzbokke debut this weekend.
“Dippies is a great player and what makes it easy is that he is a fantastic guy who fits into the culture of the squad very well. He takes all the hard work on his chin and loves it. He is definitely part of the family at the moment.”
After Wellington the Blitzbokke move to Las Vegas, where they won last year. But for now they will be looking to break their Wellington hoodoo, and pick up some valuable points with a good performance.
The Wellington Sevens will be broadcast live on SuperSport this weekend (as from tonight, or should we say very early Friday morning). The Blitzbokke open the tournament in the early hours against the USA at 02:00 (SA Time) and then face the Cook Islands at 04:56. Their final game is at 09:50 when they face England. All games will be live on SuperSport 1.
Anybody watching the Wellington Sevens?
Blitzbokke up 14 / 0 against USA, 6 minutes to play left
Blitzbokke up to 21 / 0 through a Cecil Africa try… wonderful lines run and great defence by the Bokke
Final Score Blitzbokke 21 / 0 USA
Interesting that Fiji lost to Tonga by 14 / 17 earlier
Damn, if I did not have to work so bloody hard today, I would have had a Live Game Article up and running.
We’ll have to use this one.
Pushing a near 24hour pressing session with our bubbly grapes, got to bed at 4am, and back pressing at 6am this morning – all so I can finish by midday tomorrow and get myself to Newlands!!!
7 @ Just For Kicks:
Hehehe… werk jou wetter, werk!
Your 3G sorted?
@ grootblousmile:Yup, 3G up and running.
Timeline of todays play NEW ZEALAND TIMES
12:10 – Less than one hour to go until the four Bowl quarter-finals. First up is Scotland v Kenya.
12:14 – The first Cup quarter-final is at 14:33 when hosts New Zealand take on France.
12:35 – Crowd starting to filter in at the Westpac Stadium, Scotland and Kenya doing their warm-up.
12:57 – Three minutes to the start of day two, the business end of the tournament, with four trophies on offer!
13:00 – And the action begin…
13:08 – A slow start in match one with cloudy conditions and misty rain. Kenya 0-0 Scotland at half-time.
13:17 – Kenya progress to the Bowl semi-finals with a 14-5 victory against Scotland in Match 25.
13:30 – Another 0-0 half-time score, this time between USA and Wales.
13:40 – Wales join Kenya in the Bowl semi-finals, after beating USA 10-0 in Match 26.
13:52 – Australia lead Japan 12-5 at half-time in the third Bowl quarter-final.
14:03 – Australia are the third side through to the Bowl semi-finals with a 33-5 victory against Japan in Match 27.
14:12 – Nicolas Bruzzone scores the only try of the first-half as Argentina take a 7-0 lead into the break against the Cooks.
14:25 – Argentina defeat the Cook Islands 28-0 in the fourth Bowl quarter-final, Match 28.
14:32 – The first Cup quarter-final between the hosts and France gets underway…
14:40 – First blood to France but New Zealand hit back with three tries to take a 17-7 lead into half-time.
14:51 – The hosts book their place in the Cup semi-finals, as New Zealand beat France 22-7 in Match 29.
15:03 – Dan Norton, Mat Turner and captain Greg Barden score a try each to give England a 19-0 lead against Tonga after the first seven minutes.
15:12 – England record a 26-7 victory against Tonga in Match 30 to set up a Cup semi-final with New Zealand.
15:24 – 2009/10 Series champions Samoa look favourite to progress to the Cup semi-finals leading Canada 12-0 at half-time.
15:36 – So we are heading into sudden-death extra-time in the third quarter-final as Canada level the scores at 12-12 with an exceptional conversion from Nathan Hirayama.
15:38 – Samoa’s Lolo Lui lands a penalty to clinch victory against Canada and progress to the semi-finals in Match 31.
15:49 – The third match of the day to head into half-time at 0-0, as South Africa and Fiji put on an entertaining first seven for the crowd at the Westpac.
16:00 – Fiji become the fourth and final side through to the Cup semi-finals after beating South Africa 21-5 in Match 32.
16:18 – Scotland lead USA 14-0 at half-time in their Shield semi-final
16:28 – Despite two second-half tries from Roland Suniula, Scotland hold on to beat USA 14-12 in Match 33 and move into the Shield final.
16:39 – The Cook Islands lead Japan 12-5 at the break in the second Shield semi-final.
16:49 – The Cook Islands book their place in the Shield final with a 17-10 victory against Japan in Match 34.
17:14 – Kenya book their place in the Bowl final with a hard-fought 17-7 win against Wales in Match 35. They’ll play either Australia or Argentina in that final.
17:25 – Australia and Argentina are tied at 7-7 at half time in their Bowl semi-final.
17:34 – Australia are through to a re-match of their pool clash against Kenya in the Bowl final after they beat Argentina 24-12 in Match 36 at the Westpac.
17:46 – Tonga lead 7-0 at half-time in their Plate semi-final against France.
17:55 – And Tonga march into the Plate final thanks to a 15-7 victory against France in Match 37.
18:08 – South Africa lead Canada 14-7 at the break in the second Plate semi-final.
18:17 – And Paul Treu’s South Africa hold on to the lead, eventually beating Canada 21-19 in Match 38. Time for the Cup semis…
The Blues beat the Hurricanes 36-22 in a pre-season game in Whangarei.
The Chiefs were too strong in most facets as they recorded a convincing 36-0 Investec Super Rugby win over the Melbourne Rebels at Kardinia Park in Geelong.
Coach Dave Rennie would have been happy with how his team converted their opportunities, while defensively they were able to hold out what looked a disjointed Rebels team at times.
Star recruits Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor came on in the second quarter, with the match played over four 20 minute periods.
While the Wallabies fullback and new Rebels aboriginal ambassador showed some glimpses of his class, there would have been little to get excited about on the part of new coach Damien Hill, who stepped up into Rod Macqueen’s shoes.
Sonny Bill Williams took no part in the action, in training for his boxing match next week.
The Chiefs scored tries through lock Kane Thompson, scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow, No.8 Alex Bradley, flyhalf Andrew Horrell, wing August Pulu and prop Sona Taumalolo.
Coach Dave Rennie highlighted the efforts in keeping the Rebels scoreless.
“It was good to give the whole squad a run with all the players getting at least thirty minutes on the field,” Rennie said.
“There was good competition within the squad and I really happy with the defence. There are always plenty of things to work on but it is a good start. ”
The crowd of 3,000 saw the Chiefs make a mockery of their 2011 New Zealand Conference ‘wooden spoon’ to ensure that Hill and his team had things to work on.
“Overall it’s disappointing, you don’t like to be beaten by 36 points whether it’s a trial or not,” Hill said.
“It highlighted a few areas in attack and defence we need to work on which is what these trials are for.”
The Blues have beaten the Hurricanes 36-22 in a Super Rugby preseason game in Whangarei today.
Other than the third quarter, the Blues dominated this game, which was the first hitout of the season for both sides.
The match was played over four quarters and in front of a healthy crowd of around 6,000.
It didn’t take long for the scoring to get underway with Jerome Kaino, who was playing No 8, scoring a pushover try in the fifth minute, while 18 minutes later George Moala went over for the Blues’ second try as space was found by going left on attack.
Michael Hobbs missed the conversion, but the Blues held a handy 12-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Daniel Kirkpatrick kicked a penalty for the visitors 10 minutes into the second quarter, but it was the Blues who scored next with Chris Lowrey intercepting an Andre Taylor pass to run in from 25m out.
The final try of the half came from Anthony Boric with the Blues benefiting from keeping the ball alive and continually probing the Hurricanes’ line from 5m out.
Replacement first-five Beauden Barrett goaled penalties galore over the third quarter as, strangely, for a preseason game, the Hurricanes chose to go for the three points each time they were awarded a penalty within kickable range.
With five minutes of the third quarter left, the Hurricanes showed they can score points by other means with wing Julian Savea finishing off a break with a 20m run.
The only points of the final quarter came from tries by Sherwin Stowers and Dan Prior, completing the six tries to one win.
Blues 36: (Jerome Kaino, George Moala, Chris Lowrey, Anthony Boric, Sherwin Stowers, Dan Prior tries; Michael Hobbs 3 cons).
Hurricanes 22: (Julian Savea try; Daniel Kirkpatrick pen, Beauden Barrett 4 pens, con).
NZ 0-12 England Half time
Full Time NZ 12 – 12 England
New Zealand draw the scores level with England reduced to six men for two minutes and we now enter sudden-death extra-time.
Extra time
And it is Frank Halai who storms across the line to the delight of the crowd at the Westpac. Great drama and that is why this is an Olympic sport.
New Zealand 17-12
NZ wins
Fiji 14-0 Samoa
Half Time
Good morning superBul how are you doing man? Thanks for updating the 7s stuff just had a quick look and its disapointing to see Boks got knocked out by Fiji, looks like it was easy for Fiji, thought it was a pity yesterday that the Boks ‘reward’ for topping the group was a clash against Fiji.
Fixtures
41 19:30 SCOTLAND 0 – 0 COOK ISLANDS Final Shield
42 20:00 KENYA 0 – 0 AUSTRALIA Final Bowl
43 20:30 TONGA 0 – 0 SOUTH AFRICA Final Plate
44 21:00 ENGLAND 0 – 0 SAMOA 3rd place playoff
45 21:30 NEW ZEALAND 0 – 0 FIJI Final Cup
@ Bullscot:
i Missed that game and yes the scoreline looks ugly
Fiji just won a place in the final against New Zealand
FIJI 28-5 SAMOA
@ superBul:
That should be a good one, unfortunately don’t get to see the 7s here hope you guys get a good game to watch.
Bullscot wrote:
I am well thanks ,but i must leave right now, hope someone else will keep you updated.
Will try and chat during the live games later today.
Shop here i come.
In a great start to the rugby weekend this side Scotland A beat England Saxons 35-0! Four tries for Scotland, personal total of 20 points for flyhalf Duncan Weir which included a try. Hope the main team can duplicate this later on, maybe not necessarily the margin but certainly the result.
26@ superBul:
Good stuff superBul have a good day there, am off to work soon anyway, quite poor planning so won’t get to see much of the rugby 🙁
I watched the England and Cooke Island games last night when I got back from work, I wasn’t overly impressed with the Blitzbokke. They show so much talent, speed, agility, and at times downright sheer genius. But, unfortunately, interspersed with these brief moments of rugby, is some absolute rubbish. And it is this rubbish – dropping the ball, knocking on, wild passes, and holding on too long, to name a few, that lose them the big matches. In the England (with their pukey shirts) game yesterday, they started the match with the ball, were brilliant on building up the attack, phases after phase – only some excellent defence by the pukers keeping them out – gaining good ground, only to throw a loose pass straight to a puker, from which they scored a try. And that, is the story of the Blitzbokke. They went on to beat the poms, just, but lost against Fiji. Even Canada ran them close. Not a good start to the year.
27@ Bullscot:Brilliant, lets hope they carry it forward through to the main team!
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