Springbok Sevens backline player Rosko Specman attributed the feat of being named Player of the Final at the HSBC Las Vegas Sevens early on Monday morning (SA time) to good team structures and the support of his Blitzbok team mates.
Springbok Sevens backline player Rosko Specman attributed the feat of being named Player of the Final at the HSBC Las Vegas Sevens early on Monday morning (SA time) to good team structures and the support of his Blitzbok team mates.
The Grahamstown-raised stepper scored a brilliant try in the final of the tournament, won 19-12 against Fiji, as well as having a hand in both other tries, scored by Cecil Afrika and Chris Dry respectively.
“It is very nice to be named Player of the Final and I am proud about it, but credit must go to our system and the other guys in the squad sticking to our structures,” said Specman.
In the final, a brilliant second half run by Specman helped his team into a 19-5 lead.
“Coach Neil Powell always make us believe that our basic system will bring success and he was proved right again. Everyone is just doing his job out there and I am sure other players in the squad will also be given this trophy in the future.”
Specman added that it’s easy to play with a smile on his face, because he is doing it with a “band of brothers”.
“Every player assists and gives everything he has for the team,” he said.
“Then my job becomes easy and fun. I even played on the wing at this tournament and that was as much fun as being sweeper.”
The winning coach was a proud and happy man after his squad beat Fiji 19-12 in the final to win a third consecutive HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament title and a fourth in the season.
"I am very happy. It was not our most clinical performance of the season at all, but we got the result and that is what was important. I would rather win ugly than lose pretty," the coach admitted.
The Blitzboks travelled to North America without stalwarts Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith, but still managed to claim top honours. Both are playing Vodacom Super Rugby.
He was pleased that they could extend the lead on the overall points’ log, but warns that half of the tournaments in the series still needs to be played. "We are in a good position, but we need to maintain our form and cannot think that things will just happen for us from now on. We need to stay grounded and start afresh, as we will need to do in Vancouver next weekend."
The HSBC Las Vegas Sevens title was the Blitzboks fourth gold medal in the 2016/17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
It is a third consecutive win for the team in the series after success in the previous tournaments in Wellington and Sydney, having won the opening tournament of the series in Dubai as well.
With this victory, Blitzboks extended their overall lead in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
South Africa now has 107 points in the bag after five of the ten tournaments in the series, 24 points ahead of beaten finalists, Fiji, who has 83 points. England (81), who were in second place after the tournaments in Dubai, Cape Town, Wellington and Sydney, dropped back to third place.
"We have set ourselves a goal to at least reach the semifinals of every tournament in the series, so it is very pleasing that we have managed to win four of those halfway through the series. I have to compliment the players for their hard work and for the planning from management to make sure the guys remain fresh and fit and keep their appetite for winning," said Powell.
•The Springbok Sevens team has now won 28 of their last 30 matches played. England and Fiji (23) are next best in this regard.
•They are also the leading try scorers at the halfway mark, with a 129 tries at an average of 4.3 per match. Fiji (126) is in second place and England (97) third.
•Cecil Afrika extended his overall Springbok Sevens career points' scoring record to 1183 points and also moved into ninth on the overall log.
•Chris Dry (93), Philip Snyman (81) and Werner Kok (76) are the top three tacklers in the series this far. Seabelo Senatla leads the series in line-breaks (40) and tries (32).
•In their semifinal match against hosts, USA, South Africa had to come from behind twice in a thrilling match, played in front of a huge home crowd and very strong winds.
•South Africa had to replace Justin Geduld, who did not recover from an ankle injury picked up on Day Two and Stedman Gans, the official replacement player, made his Blitzbok debut on the bench.
The top five teams on the log after the HSBC Las Vegas Sevens are:
1. South Africa 107
2. Fiji 83
3. England 81
4. New Zealand71
5. Australia 52
The draw for the HSBC Vancouver Sevens was announced as well. South Africa will face Chile, Kenya and England in pool A.
