The Blitzboks showed that they mean business in their hunt for a gold medal as they produced a much more polished display to beat France 26-0 at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday night.
The Springbok Sevens dispatched Spain 24-0 earlier in the day, but battled for rhythm and with their execution in their Olympic opener.
But there was much greater cohesion and efficiency – apart from in the lineouts, though – as they dealt with the physical threat of a French side that had surprisingly overpowered Australia 31-14 in the first match of the sevens tournament at the Deodoro Stadium.
It didn’t take long for coach Neil Powell’s team to get on to the board as Kwagga Smith – who was one of two South Africans (with Seabelo Senatla) to be included in the World Series Sevens Dream Team last season – burst his way through the French defence, and even though he was brought down inside the 22, the Blitzboks still scored as Cecil Afrika’s brilliant offload from the floor put Justin Geduld over.
The French adopted strange tactics throughout the game as they probably realised that they don’t have the speed to challenge the South Africans. One ball was kicked long downfield and into touch, while the rest of their possession was wasted on trying to run through Blitzbok tacklers instead of around, or even utilise a chip kick into space.
French Test centre and wing Virimi Vakatawa tried to use his powerful frame to bulldoze his way forward, but the ploy never worked as the hungry South Africans such as Smith, captain Kyle Brown and Juan de Jongh cut him down.
Smith showed that he is much more than just a defender as he galloped over 60 metres downfield, using his footwork to good effect to score the second try before halftime.
The Blitzboks had time for one more before the break as Geduld produced a lovely piece of skill to chip over the top and claim the ball back, and Brown rounded off for a 19-0.
The bigger French team’s only inroads – if you want to call it that – that they made on the Blitzboks came in the lineouts as they disrupted a number of throw-ins with good contesting in the air. But it never amounted to anything as the South Africans inevitably won the breakdown battle.
Just before the end, Dylan Sage finally got a touch of the ball as the Capetonian produced a good turn of speed from inside his own half to score his first five-pointer in Rio.
With the French having beaten Australia, who then got past Spain in their second match, the Blitzboks are virtually assured of qualifying for Wednesday’s quarter-finals. They face Australia in their final pool game earlier in the day (4.30pm SA time), with their first playoff later the same evening.
The semi-finals and medal deciders will take place on Thursday, and on their showing against France, the Blitzboks will definitely be in the mix for a top-three place.
Anything can happen in sevens rugby, though, as evidenced by Japan’s shock 14-12 victory over New Zealand on Tuesday. Fiji are the favourites for gold, but they will have to get past South Africa first.
POINTS-SCORERS
South Africa – Tries: Justin Geduld, Kwagga Smith, Kyle Brown, Dylan Sage. Conversions: Cecil Afrika (3).
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