THE FINAL WHISTLE
MARK KEOHANE: Peerless Blitzboks and world star Senatla show how 15-man code has dropped the ball
Applaud the Blitzboks, but not at the expense of an illusion they compensate for the disastrous Springboks, writes Mark Keohane
The Blitzboks are to the sevens game what the All Blacks are to 15s — without comparison. Victory in Wellington, New Zealand, extended SA’s lead in the HSBC Wellington sevens to 12 league points and makes them favourites finally to win a competition that New Zealand and Fiji have owned over the past decade. Any South African sporting success is to be celebrated and the Blitzboks are a particular favourite in SA because of their flamboyance and their multi-cultured appeal. They are the world’s form team and in the past two tournaments, have smashed Fiji, Olympic champions and 2016’s competition winners. The Blitzboks are doing everything right. They have players who are acknowledged as among the world’s best, especially Seabelo Senatla, whose 180th career try moved him past Fabian Juries as the leading South African try-scorer. They have an excellent coach in Neil Powell, who in his professional career specialised in sevens and has translated that playing pedigree into success as a c...
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