It remains a massive privilege and something very special to represent South Africa on the HSBC SVNS series, and this weekend in Singapore will be no different for Blitzbok captain Siviwe Soyizwapi.
Although he could become the record holder for most tries ever in the National Stadium in his ninth appearance at the venue, Soyizwapi is not planning to chase that milestone, but would rather make sure the Springbok Sevens are in tune with the game plan and execution.
Soyizwapi makes a return to the side for the first time since the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles in May last year, and he could pass the current tournament try-scoring record of USA wing Perry Baker (29).
The experienced Blitzbok, who will feature in his 61st world series tournament, has dotted down 25 times himself, but the 33-year-old Soyizwapi knows that 30th try will come in good time.
For now, it is more important to make sure he keep the standards, set by the Cape Town winning squad, and that the younger players in the team play with confidence, according to Soyizwapi.
“Being back in the squad makes one realise what a wonderful experience it is to play for the Blitzboks on the world stage,” said Soyizwapi as he posed for the traditional captains photo.
“You realise what you have missed out on, so I am very happy to be back. On the plus side of not playing, rest is good and the body can recover a bit from the bumps and bruises. So, I am fresh and ready to go
“We have a balanced side, but we are short of experience and will be tested with our key playmakers not here. For the experienced core, our role will be to make sure those new guys settle in and play the game they were selected for. They are not here by luck; they are here because they have the talent and the opportunity to show that.”
Their first challenges will be facing Spain, Great Britain, and Fiji in the pool stage on Saturday.
“With only eight teams, pools are very similar from one tournament to the next, so for us consistency is very important,” he said.
“We need to find that groove against Spain in the first game, then keep building against Great Britain and hopefully have our game perfect when we face Fiji. If we can do that, it will be a good weekend. We expect each game to be tough, so will come prepared.”
According to Soyizwapi, the Blitzboks’ mindset will be important: “With regards to our attitude, it is a bit of both restart and continuing what we started. It might be a new year, but it is still the same season, so we can benefit from the work we put in last year.
“The restart part comes with us understanding that the first two tournaments do not mean anything this weekend, we will still have to lay the foundation for the tournament in the very first game.
“We can always draw inspiration from Cape Town, as we can from our amazing win here in 2019 when we came from behind to beat Fiji for the title. That was one for the books and will always inspire us.”
Arsenic Coo
Sport Trivia: In 2005, this South African made a record eleventh win at the Molokai World Surf Ski Championships, ten of which were consecutive wins. He has also won the South Africa Iron Man competition four times. Answer: Oscar Chalupsky – has also represented South Africa in the 1992 Olympics as captain and participant in the canoe team. He holds various South African and international titles.
Engine Eye
The Calcutta Cup, contested between England and Scotland in the Six Nations Championship, is the oldest international rugby trophy, dating back to 1879. The trophy is made from Indian silver rupees, which were melted down to create a unique design.