By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GettyImages.
The Springboks sevens will be hoping for a better showing this weekend when the world series moves to Cape Town after they finished fifth at the Emirates Dubai 7s on Sunday.
Blitzboks are going to have to do it the hard way though, after being drawn in Pool A alongside Dubai champions New Zealand, as well as Fiji and Great Britain.
South Africa’s three pool games are scheduled for 12:44pm (Fiji), 4pm (New Zealand) and 7:41pm (Great Britain), which is the final game of the first day.
The Blitzboks also face an anxious wait over the fitness of two key players in playmaker Selvyn Davids and powerful forward Ryan Oosthuizen who both failed to finish last weekend.
The first pool match at Cape Town Stadium kicks off at 10am on Saturday when the women’s teams of Japan and Canada go head-to-head, and the action will conclude shortly before 8pm.
A total of 24 games are on the roster for Saturday, after which the top two teams from each pool will progress to the semi-finals on Sunday, while the other teams will contest the minor placings.
The two finals on Sunday are scheduled for 4:10pm (women) and 4:43pm (men).
“The cut-throat nature of the new format means there is no place to hide and every match will count as the teams aim to stay in the hunt for the title,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.
“The Blitzboks recovered well in Dubai, but they will have their work cut out for them as they aim to defend the title they won last year in Cape Town, and we would like to urge our loyal fans and anyone else looking for some of the best entertainment to head to the Cape Town Stadium this weekend to support our boys.”
Cape Town Sevens pools
Men
A: South Africa, New Zealand, Fiji, Great Britain
B: Australia, Argentina, France, Spain
Women
A: New Zealand, Fiji, Great Britain, USA
B: Australia, Canada, France, Japan
Blitzboks’ pool fixtures
Saturday, 6 December
vs Fiji, 12:44pm
vs New Zealand, 4pm
vs Great Britain, 7:41pm.