With a massive year for sevens rugby upon us, there must be huge pressure on powerhouse South Africa – yet you would not know it from speaking to Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell ahead of the Dubai Rugby Sevens.
They are reigning HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series champions and defending champions in Dubai – usurping Fiji of both accolades in 2017. There are also the small matters of April’s Commonwealth Games – of which they are also champions having won the title in Glasgow in 2014 – and the Rugby World Cup Sevens taking place in San Francisco in July.
It appears as if there are too many oval-shaped balls in the air for South Africa and Powell to juggle, but he’s not feeling any pressure.
“There’s a lot of expectation but I’m looking forward to it,” said the 39-year-old at the Dubai Sevens press conference at the Crowne Plaza in Festival City.
“It’s not really too much to worry about. We had a great off season, had a lot of fun planning how the season will pan out for us.
“We have the second team here (in Dubai) so maybe some of those players will come into the squad during the season, give the key players a rest. We have a big squad of 22 and we will have to rely on all of them.”
Asked if the Commonwealth Games, being played on Australia’s Gold Coast, was a particular distraction, he added: “It’s a difficult one because it’s right in the middle of the season. Right after Hong Kong.
The Blitzbokke are the defending champions in Dubai.
“I think the priority of the Commonwealth Games is really high because we won it last time, so hopefully we can defend our gold medal there. It’s key we manage the players well so they’re hungry and fresh for the Games.”
All the team’s competing in the elite men’s Sevens Series category will know the feeling coming into the new season in Dubai this weekend. It’s similar to 2016 when the Rio Olympics was on the horizon and constantly in people’s thinking.
For Powell, the Olympics and Commonwealth rank higher than next summer’s World Cup Sevens because of the multi-sport aspect.
“It’s a tough question,” he says when asked where the World Cup ranks.
“Obviously the Olympics is the ultimate tournament as it’s the biggest sporting tournament in the world. Also the Commonwealth Games because it’s a multi-sport tournament.
“I think it’s going to be crucial to manage the players this season, a squad of 12, who can play all 12 tournaments. We want them all fresh for those outside tournaments if you want to be successful. Maybe resting them one or two tournaments.”
Also coming into Dubai as defending champions in the UAE are Allan Bunting’s New Zealand women’s sevens side.
The Black Ferns, much like the Blitzbokke, are also series holders too. They have won all five editions of the HSBC Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series since being established in 2012/13.
And despite claiming five of the six tournament wins last season and finishing 16 points ahead of fierce rivals Australia, the scary thing for New Zealand’s opponents is Bunting believes they can only get better.
“We certainly feel after our review last year that we were running at about 75 per cent of our potential, so there’s some huge amount of space for some gains and growth, so we’re focused on that,” said the man who took over the side a year ago.
“We’re focused on doing things quicker and with a bit more intensity. There’s still a lot of growth left in our group.”
Asked if he was sounding out a warning to the rest of the field, he added: “It’s not really a warning, we just feel like we can still grow a heck of a lot. The management group too. So if we get better together we know we’ll be able to reach our potential.”
And he sees last year’s runners-up as their main threat once again.
“Australia, they’re always a threat,” he said.
“They’re a great side and one of the most consistent in the world so they’re definitely a threat. But every team is. We’re focused now on South Africa, France and the USA. The US beat us last year so we’re not looking past our first game. Then we go to the next one.”
