Stand-in skipper wants Blitzboks to hit ground running at Seville Sevens

BLITZBOKS captain Impi Visser says it is vital that his team hits the ground running at the Estadio Olympico de la Cartjuna in Seville on Saturday after having had to sit out the play on Friday.

The 26-year-old prop points to the fact that the Blitzboks will be facing Spain first up on Saturday and will have to be match ready, especially as the home side would have played their first match on Friday already (against the USA), while South Africa has a first-round bye due to Fiji again missing out because of Covid complications.

Like last week, South Africa will — alongside the other two teams in Pool A — be awarded three match points and a 0-0 scoreline due to the Fijians not being able to play in Spain.

“We will have to be spot on come Saturday because of the bye and will not be in the same position as Spain and USA, who would have played a game already,” said Visser, adding that he was comfortable that the players have regrouped from last week's win in Malaga.

“We needed to get back to ground zero once we arrived here

and I think the guys did that well.

“We don't really count the number of matches won; we only care about what is required to do justice to our jersey and the values of the Blitzbok team. We are only looking at contributing to the system, not winning streaks or things like that.”

The fact that he is officially the team leader in place of the injured Siviwe Soyizwapi will be processed in good time, Visser said.

“The real emotion of running onto the field as tournament captain is immense and difficult to describe in words,” he said.

“It is huge for me and the real meaning of this will come to me later, I am sure. There have been legends of the game before me, so following in their footsteps is just massive.”