All Article Properties:
{
"access_control": false,
"status": "publish",
"objectType": "Article",
"id": "2702522",
"signature": "Article:2702522",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-05-02-blitzboks-aim-to-finish-the-season-with-world-championship-trophy-in-hand/",
"shorturl": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2702522",
"slug": "blitzboks-aim-to-finish-the-season-with-world-championship-trophy-in-hand",
"contentType": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Article",
"slug": "article"
},
"views": 0,
"comments": 0,
"preview_limit": null,
"excludedFromGoogleSearchEngine": 0,
"title": "Blitzboks aim to finish the season with World Championship trophy in hand",
"firstPublished": "2025-05-02 14:28:54",
"lastUpdate": "2025-05-02 14:28:59",
"categories": [
{
"id": "29",
"name": "South Africa",
"signature": "Category:29",
"slug": "south-africa",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/south-africa/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "Daily Maverick is an independent online news publication and weekly print newspaper in South Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is known for breaking some of the defining stories of South Africa in the past decade, including the Marikana Massacre, in which the South African Police Service killed 34 miners in August 2012.\r\n\r\nIt also investigated the Gupta Leaks, which won the 2019 Global Shining Light Award.\r\n\r\nThat investigation was credited with exposing the Indian-born Gupta family and former President Jacob Zuma for their role in the systemic political corruption referred to as state capture.\r\n\r\nIn 2018, co-founder and editor-in-chief Branislav ‘Branko’ Brkic was awarded the country’s prestigious Nat Nakasa Award, recognised for initiating the investigative collaboration after receiving the hard drive that included the email tranche.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, co-founder and CEO Styli Charalambous also received the award.\r\n\r\nDaily Maverick covers the latest political and news developments in South Africa with breaking news updates, analysis, opinions and more.",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
},
{
"id": "30",
"name": "Sport",
"signature": "Category:30",
"slug": "sport",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "staging.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/category/sport/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
}
],
"content_length": 4154,
"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks will fancy their chances of a World Championship win in Los Angeles this weekend.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Sevens have been grouped alongside overall series winners Argentina, who won three out of six series legs, 2024 Paris Olympic Games champions France as well as Great Britain.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two out of three victories should be enough to see the side reach the semi-finals of the World Championship where they will face off against one of Fiji, Spain, Australia or New Zealand, who will be battling it out in the other group.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa will back their chances to overcome France, who have only reached the final four of a SVNS leg on two occasions this season, as well as Great Britain, who snuck into the top eight despite a best finish of fifth across the six legs.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks though, like France, have struggled for consistency. They’ve reached two finals – winning one, in Cape Town – but have also finished ninth on two occasions.</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We can look back at the regular series where we had a mixed bag of results, but this effort here in Los Angeles will define the season,” said Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2702105\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2350585.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1749\" height=\"1157\" /> <em>Sevens head coach Philip Snyman. (Photo: David Van Der Sandt / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2702104\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2314825.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1776\" height=\"1140\" /> <em>Zain Davids, co-captain of South Africa, scores a try during day two of the HSBC SVNS Cup Final match against France in Cape Town at DHL Stadium on 8 December 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We have won and lost against all three during the season, so it will come down to the effort of that match. There are no easy games, and a clinical execution will be the difference.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There were brilliant moments, average moments and some poor moments, but we are looking towards this weekend, not behind us. We had our review of the series and know what we were good at, or not.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Our fourth place in the series was an improvement from the previous year, but we want to be remembered for more than that.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>‘New energy’</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks tailed off toward the back end of the World Series with consecutive ninth-placed finishes in Hong Kong and Singapore in the final two legs.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It means that the Springbok Sevens’ cumulative 70 points, gained from the six SVNS legs this season, is closer to New Zealand (56) in seventh place — who failed to finish above fourth in any leg — than Spain (88) in third.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately for the Blitzboks, France in fifth overall finished last in Singapore, and Australia, who are sixth, limped to 10th in the Asian city, so they were not overtaken.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the Blitzboks, their ambitions of a World Championship title have been improved by the return of trio Ronald Brown, Mfundo Ndhlovu and Quewin Nortje — the latter is the leading try scorer for the team this season.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We needed some new energy, given the short turnaround from Singapore, where we did not deliver,” Snyman said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I am happy to say we got that from them. Overall, it will be a weekend of enjoyment, effort and energy, and each of those players are able to provide that. We are in a good space.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>Bok Sevens Women</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Sevens Women, meanwhile, have been forced to shift their goals at the last minute because of the recently revamped SVNS model next year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team arrived in America with the ambition of making it on to next year’s SVNS World Series as one of the core 12 teams, but because of the “evolved SVNS model” announced by World Rugby — two days before the start of the LA SVNS — the Bok Sevens Women will a gun for a spot in the second tier of the series.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It does change the temperature in the room as there is funding from World Rugby involved, and if we don’t get into the tier two, that might be at risk,” said head coach Renfred Dazel.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Having said that, we came here with clear objectives on how to perform on the field, and that has not changed. We came here to win the play-off tournament, and that mission remains. If we manage that, it will be tier two, but that is next season’s planning.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The nation Sevens ladies will be up against World Series regulars Ireland in their first clash of the weekend, and will then face China and Argentina. </span><b>DM</b>",
"teaser": "Blitzboks aim to finish the season with World Championship trophy in hand",
"externalUrl": "",
"sponsor": null,
"authors": [
{
"id": "245916",
"name": "Keanan Hemmonsbey",
"image": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG-20230509-WA0020-copy.jpg",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/author/keanan-hemmonsbey/",
"editorialName": "keanan-hemmonsbey",
"department": "",
"name_latin": ""
}
],
"description": "",
"keywords": [
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "6178",
"name": "Sports",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/sports/",
"slug": "sports",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Sports",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "10086",
"name": "SA Rugby",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/sa-rugby/",
"slug": "sa-rugby",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "SA Rugby",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "11205",
"name": "Philip Snyman",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/philip-snyman/",
"slug": "philip-snyman",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Philip Snyman",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "49120",
"name": "sport",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/sport/",
"slug": "sport",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "sport",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "59459",
"name": "rugby",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/rugby/",
"slug": "rugby",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "rugby",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "139384",
"name": "Blitzboks",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/blitzboks/",
"slug": "blitzboks",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Blitzboks",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "372563",
"name": "Springbok sevens",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/springbok-sevens/",
"slug": "springbok-sevens",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Springbok sevens",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "406960",
"name": "Renfred Dazel",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/renfred-dazel/",
"slug": "renfred-dazel",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Renfred Dazel",
"translations": null
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "433312",
"name": "Springbok Sevens Women",
"url": "https://staging.dailymaverick.co.za/keyword/springbok-sevens-women/",
"slug": "springbok-sevens-women",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Springbok Sevens Women",
"translations": null
}
}
],
"short_summary": null,
"source": null,
"related": [],
"options": [],
"attachments": [
{
"id": "80931",
"name": "Zain Davids (co-captain) of South Africa scores a try during day 2 of the HSBC SVNS Cup Final match between South Africa and France in Cape Town at DHL Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks will fancy their chances of a World Championship win in Los Angeles this weekend.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Sevens have been grouped alongside overall series winners Argentina, who won three out of six series legs, 2024 Paris Olympic Games champions France as well as Great Britain.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two out of three victories should be enough to see the side reach the semi-finals of the World Championship where they will face off against one of Fiji, Spain, Australia or New Zealand, who will be battling it out in the other group.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa will back their chances to overcome France, who have only reached the final four of a SVNS leg on two occasions this season, as well as Great Britain, who snuck into the top eight despite a best finish of fifth across the six legs.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks though, like France, have struggled for consistency. They’ve reached two finals – winning one, in Cape Town – but have also finished ninth on two occasions.</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We can look back at the regular series where we had a mixed bag of results, but this effort here in Los Angeles will define the season,” said Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2702105\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1749\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2702105\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2350585.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1749\" height=\"1157\" /> <em>Sevens head coach Philip Snyman. (Photo: David Van Der Sandt / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2702104\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1776\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2702104\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2314825.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1776\" height=\"1140\" /> <em>Zain Davids, co-captain of South Africa, scores a try during day two of the HSBC SVNS Cup Final match against France in Cape Town at DHL Stadium on 8 December 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We have won and lost against all three during the season, so it will come down to the effort of that match. There are no easy games, and a clinical execution will be the difference.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There were brilliant moments, average moments and some poor moments, but we are looking towards this weekend, not behind us. We had our review of the series and know what we were good at, or not.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Our fourth place in the series was an improvement from the previous year, but we want to be remembered for more than that.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>‘New energy’</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks tailed off toward the back end of the World Series with consecutive ninth-placed finishes in Hong Kong and Singapore in the final two legs.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It means that the Springbok Sevens’ cumulative 70 points, gained from the six SVNS legs this season, is closer to New Zealand (56) in seventh place — who failed to finish above fourth in any leg — than Spain (88) in third.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately for the Blitzboks, France in fifth overall finished last in Singapore, and Australia, who are sixth, limped to 10th in the Asian city, so they were not overtaken.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the Blitzboks, their ambitions of a World Championship title have been improved by the return of trio Ronald Brown, Mfundo Ndhlovu and Quewin Nortje — the latter is the leading try scorer for the team this season.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We needed some new energy, given the short turnaround from Singapore, where we did not deliver,” Snyman said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I am happy to say we got that from them. Overall, it will be a weekend of enjoyment, effort and energy, and each of those players are able to provide that. We are in a good space.”</span>\r\n<h4><b>Bok Sevens Women</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Sevens Women, meanwhile, have been forced to shift their goals at the last minute because of the recently revamped SVNS model next year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team arrived in America with the ambition of making it on to next year’s SVNS World Series as one of the core 12 teams, but because of the “evolved SVNS model” announced by World Rugby — two days before the start of the LA SVNS — the Bok Sevens Women will a gun for a spot in the second tier of the series.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It does change the temperature in the room as there is funding from World Rugby involved, and if we don’t get into the tier two, that might be at risk,” said head coach Renfred Dazel.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Having said that, we came here with clear objectives on how to perform on the field, and that has not changed. We came here to win the play-off tournament, and that mission remains. If we manage that, it will be tier two, but that is next season’s planning.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The nation Sevens ladies will be up against World Series regulars Ireland in their first clash of the weekend, and will then face China and Argentina. </span><b>DM</b>",
"focal": "50% 50%",
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg",
"transforms": [
{
"x": "200",
"y": "100",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/pZDkrF6pZf_dGaCEaByTAqUFSH4=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg"
},
{
"x": "450",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/7DqSdSG0uJ5GDOFWkmud0P1k5rU=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg"
},
{
"x": "800",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/ogTXC8pSnwseteBq89Ece2ZMt9E=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1200",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/KY0SSjWEibNx_a7OOeZHjBR2RAE=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1600",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/z-7D6iI7O2Z3tLqypY_LouY9ZxU=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg"
}
],
"url_thumbnail": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/pZDkrF6pZf_dGaCEaByTAqUFSH4=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg",
"url_medium": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/7DqSdSG0uJ5GDOFWkmud0P1k5rU=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg",
"url_large": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/ogTXC8pSnwseteBq89Ece2ZMt9E=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg",
"url_xl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/KY0SSjWEibNx_a7OOeZHjBR2RAE=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg",
"url_xxl": "https://dmcdn.whitebeard.net/i/z-7D6iI7O2Z3tLqypY_LouY9ZxU=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2356061.jpg",
"type": "image"
}
],
"summary": "An up-and-down season could end with the World Championship through a commanding performance in Los Angeles this weekend by the Blitzboks.",
"template_type": null,
"dm_custom_section_label": null,
"elements": [],
"seo": {
"search_title": "Blitzboks aim to finish the season with World Championship trophy in hand",
"search_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks will fancy their chances of a World Championship win in Los Angeles this weekend.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Sevens have been",
"social_title": "Blitzboks aim to finish the season with World Championship trophy in hand",
"social_description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blitzboks will fancy their chances of a World Championship win in Los Angeles this weekend.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Sevens have been",
"social_image": ""
},
"cached": true,
"access_allowed": true
} 
Sevens head coach Philip Snyman. (Photo: David Van Der Sandt / Gallo Images)
Zain Davids, co-captain of South Africa, scores a try during day two of the HSBC SVNS Cup Final match against France in Cape Town at DHL Stadium on 8 December 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)