Blitzboks arrive in Hong Kong, ready to win it all
· Citizen
The Blitzboks said their Stellenbosch training fields are battle grounds of their own, and have prepared them well for the Cathay Pacific World Championship event in Hong Kong next weekend.
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The Blitzboks face Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in Pool A of the first of three Sevens World Championship events, to be held at Kai Tak Sports Park.
“The competitive excellence we are striving for is not just a slogan, it is a reality,” said Nortjé as the Biltzboks arrived in Hong Kong on Friday after their long-haul travel from Cape Town via Johannesburg.
“A training session at home is as tough as any match we play. Add the heat in Stellenbosch and the fact we have at least 20 guys eager to make the team for the next event, it is really a competitive environment.
“The nice thing about it is that the players really support and push each other and success to the travelling group also means success to those who stay behind, as it means that they also did their job to get the travelling squad match ready and tournament ready.
“A win for the guys on tour is a win for the guys at home as well.”
Blitzboks target Hong Kong
Nortje’s return to the squad took longer than expected, as niggles kept interrupting his progress, but the last couple of weeks were free-flowing for the former Junior Springbok wing.
“It is great to be part of the playing squad again and going to Hong Kong makes all the hiccups earlier in the year worth it,” the 23-year-old said.
“It remains one of the most sought-after tournaments for us. I have played here twice before and hopefully it will be third time lucky for us when it comes to winning it.”
Nortje said the results in the Sevens Series, where the Blitzboks won four out of six tournaments, were good rewards for the sweat and efforts by the players, but they start afresh come the World Championship.
There are solid foundations, though. Despite starting the previous tournament, the Sevens New York, without their season leading tackler, Shilton van Wyk, the Blitzboks still topped the defensive stats with no less that four of them topping up the tackle stats in the USA, where no one made more tackles than Ryan Oosthuizen (16), Sebastiaan Jobb (14), Selvyn Davids (12), and Impi Visser (11) on that weekend.
“It shows how the guys worked for each other. It is not above the individual in this Blitzboks team,” Nortje noted.