Blitzboks coach Neil Powell will need to try and inspire his troops after a dismal Toulouse Sevens tournament over the weekend. Picture: David Van Der Sandt/Gallo Images
The Blitzboks’ downward spiral in the World Sevens Series continued on Sunday as they were unceremoniously dumped out of the Toulouse Sevens tournament by Scotland.
The South Africans had already made a bit of unwanted history by missing out on the Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 when they lost two of their three pool matches against Ireland and Samoa earlier in the tournament.
Relegated to the ninth-place playoffs, it was then expected that the Blitzboks would win their final three games, but after beating Japan 40-0, they suffered a 24-21 defeat to Scotland to end their campaign with just two wins from five matches.
It continued a dramatic fall from grace in their last three tournaments, and though the Blitzboks still managed to hold on to top spot in the series standings, their lead was heavily cut.
The SA team started the 2021/22 Sevens World Series in scintillating form, winning the first four tournaments in a row.
They then lost against Argentina in the fifth-place playoffs in Singapore and beat New Zealand in the fifth-place final in Vancouver, before being crushed in Toulouse.
With the penultimate round of the 2021/22 series being played in London next weekend, the Blitzboks will need a remarkable turnaround of form to put in a stronger showing and try keep ahead of the chasing pack.
Following the London event the World Sevens Series Grand Finale will be held in Los Angeles in August.