Skipper Impi Visser says the Blitzboks’ mindset will be key in Bordeaux this weekend.
The Blitzboks lost the final of the second SVNS World Championship tournament in Valladolid to Australia, but remain top of the standings on 38 points, four ahead of Argentina and eight ahead of the Aussies.
“It was not the greatest team effort last weekend,” Visser admitted. “Individually we fought hard, but as a collective, we did not punch hard enough.
“Those lessons were accepted and for this weekend, we want to go out and play without any fear, and stick to the things that make us tick as a team.”
The Blitzboks enter the final tournament in Bordeaux looking to defend their World Championship crown after already securing the regular-season SVNS title.
They face Great Britain and Kenya in the pool stage on Friday, and Fiji on Saturday.
Should the Blitzboks prevail, it will be their sixth tournament win of a superb season. But Visser stressed the need of a “team first” mindset.
“Sevens is 90% mental and 10% physical,” he said. “Everyone is fit and strong, so the difference will be in the mindset. That will determine the success of our weekend.
“GB will come at us again, like they did last weekend, and Kenya always come at us, so we know what to expect from them.
“We have the skills to beat them, so it’s just the application that we need to get right.”
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Visser is determined not to be distracted by the World Championship standings, saying: “We are only going to focus on Friday. It will be about having the right frame of mind. We know what we can do, not to look for the results but to follow the process.”
Blitzboks’ Pool A fixtures
Friday 5 June
3:06pm: Great Britain
8:36pm: Kenya
Saturday 6 June
11:06am: Fiji
Photo: Juan Barbosa/Reuters
The post Impi: Blitzboks want to play without fear appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Skipper Impi Visser says the Blitzboks’ mindset will be key in Bordeaux this weekend.
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