Victorious Springbok Sevens Captain Mzwandile Stick joins Marius Schoeman who exited the international Sevens scene on a high and shares their thoughts with us. (video)

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Mzwandile Stick, South Africa captain

“We’ve never been number one before, New Zealand have always dominated the Series, but now we have a new name on the trophy so we just want to enjoy this moment and forget about the (Edinburgh) final now (where they lost 20-19 against Fiji).

“It means a lot to us. I have been playing for six years, Marius (Schoeman) has been playing for nine years, and now he is going to retire so finally we have something for him.

“It was a great feeling just to get my hands on that trophy.

“I think the start of the season was the most important thing for us. To start well in Dubai and then go to George and do so well, that set the foundation for our season.”

Marius Schoeman, veteran of nine seasons with South Africa Sevens and now retiring

“Nine years is a long time and it’s just awesome to finally get our hands on the trophy after a few years of very, very hard work.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet but tomorrow morning at the airport with the hangover it probably will!

“We’re just glad we can give something back to the rugby community in South Africa. They are always supporting us and we’re just glad to repay them.

Gordon Tietjens, New Zealand coach and eight-time winner of the World Series

“It’s a long season, 12 months to go without winning a tournament, but we finished on a positive note (winning the Plate against Australia).

“Out of these last two tournaments, I’ve found three or four players to put in the bank for next year, which is great.

“It’s about handling the pressure matches when it really matters and we’ll certainly know about that next year. But you can never take this experience away from them, which is great.

“I talked to (South Africa coach) Paul Treu and told them they deserve it.

“There are four or five teams now that can win a World Series and it probably just confirms how good we have been over the last few years to win eight of them. It’s been a great result for us, but it’s not to be this year.

“You get these years and who knows, next year might be another one like this for us, you just don’t know.

“It’s going to be really competitive and it’s going to get harder but I’ll be back next year.”

As they did in Hong Kong in March, Fiji has denied us a dream finish.

However, know this:

We are the Champions of Dubai 2008,

We are the Champions of George 2008,

We are the Champions of Adelaide 2009,

and

 We are the Champions… OF THE IRB SEVENS SERIES WORLD!

I don’t know how to say it more than that.

Let me ask Freddie Mercury and Queen to help me out.

(Don’t mind him sitting in his onnerbroek! Try beating that tache, Robert!)

Reigning IRB Sevens World Series Champions South Africa will meet Fiji in the Cup Final of the final tournament on the 2008/2009 IRB Sevens Circuit to set up a return of the Hong Kong Cup Final clash. 

The Springboks progressed to the Cup Final by beating competitive hosts Scotland 26-21.  The Scots pushed the Bokke all the way into sudden-death extra-time until the elusive speedster Gio Aplon sealed it for South Africa with a try under the sticks.

The other Cup finalists Fiji ousted the reigning Sevens World Champions Wales.

Although South Africa signed, sealed and delivered the Series title on Day 1 of the Edinburgh Sevens, their inspirational coach Paul Treu insisted that his charges planned to go all the way!

Bokke Bo!

Scotland,

You did well to make it this far in your home tournament.  By overcoming neighbours England you showed your pedigree.

You took us right to the wire. We salute you.

However, like your coach said after the match, you played the reigning IRB Sevens World Series Champions.

See you next year!

The final tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit is set for a series of unique finals!

In game 33, Canada narrowly beat Spain 21-19.  Next up, the USA comfortably overcame Georgia 27-0 to set up:

* a cross-border, North American Shield Final. 

A cocky France then went on the beat South American contenders Argentina by 19-12.  Following that, England beat Portugal (31-7) to seal:

* a trans-English-Channel clash for the Bowl Final.

Lastly, Australia (who beat Samoa 26-14) and New Zealand (who overcame the Kenyans 26-21) will clash in a:

* trans-Tasman Plate Final

The Cup Final could be really special. 

How about:

The reigning Sevens World Champions (Wales) 

taking on…

The reigning World Series Champion (South Africa).

(this could work out should SA beat hosts Scotland and Wales beat Fiji)

How exiting is that!  Let’s wait and see.

The day after clinching their first IRB Sevens World Series title at Murrayfield, South Africa have reached the Cup semi finals at the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens after beating a combattive Australia side.They now face hosts Scotland, who won through to their second successive semi final – and only their second ever – after Colin Gregor’s cool conversion at the death sealed a fine comeback victory against Samoa.

In the other half of the Cup draw Wales will play Fiji after they won fine respective victories against Kenya and New Zealand.

New World Series champions South Africa are through to the Cup semi finals after they came through a closely contested tussle with Australia 17-7 with tries from Kyle Brown, Frankie Horne and Vuyo Zangqa.  

Scotland then won a heart-stopper against Samoa, the islanders leading 12-0 at the break after tries by Alafoti Fa’osiliva and Uale Mai but the Scots storming back. John Houston scored both of their tries, the second right at the death leaving Colin Gregor with a tough conversion to win. Gregor held his nerve to keep the home fires burning.

World Cup-winners Wales produced a stunning display to beat Kenya 19-7. Rhys Jones scored twice and Tom Isaacs once, while Kenya had their chances but could only manage one try through Biko Adema.

Fiji turned around their 33-14 loss against New Zealand in London to beat the same opposition 26-19 in the fourth quarter final in one of the matches of the tournament. Pio Tuwai struck first for Fiji but Save Tokula pulled the game level and Tomasi Cama’s conversion edged the kiwis ahead, only for the Fijians to mount a length of the field assault with captain Vereniki Goneva scoring for a 10-7 half time lead. Tuwai scored again straight after the break and then Nasoni Roko put on a skills masterclass to create a superb fourth for Seremaia Burotu for a 26-7 lead. Kurt Baker pulled one back for New Zealand and with a minute remaining Solomon King scored another but the kiwi comeback ran out of time.

And here’s the coach to deliver his comments on his Team’s tremendous feat of winning their first-ever International Rugby Board Sevens World Series Title!  The Boys may be celebrating in the background, but believe me… they’re still focussed on going all the way for the title of Cup Champions of the Edinburgh Sevens 2009!

Take a well-deserved bow Paul:

The International Rugby Board (IRB) website has just confirmed my earlier forcast: the Springbok Sevens side has indeed won their very first IRB Sevens World Series Title.

From irb.com:

South Africa have reached the Cup quarter finals at the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens at Murrayfield to guarantee at least four Series points and confirm themselves as IRB Sevens World Series champions for the 2008/09 season.

Paul Treu’s side scored five tries in a convincing 33-10 win against France and were then too good for an inexperienced USA side, winning 34-5.

South Africa now hold the ‘World Champions’ tag in both 15-a-side and Sevens rugby, the first time the two Cups have been united in a single trophy cabinet.

Treu has used just 17 players throughout the eight World Series events and that continuity of selection has helped make them the most consistent side. So far they have won three Cup titles and one Plate, as well as once finishing Cup runners-up and twice reaching the Cup semi finals.

“South Africa deserve it, they’ve probably been the most consistently performing team this season and they’ve had that regular squad right throughout the Series,” said New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens, himself the winner of eight World Series titles.

“Some very good Sevens players, very quick and that’s a key ingredient of their team. They attack the rucks with a lot of aggression and look for turn-overs to utilise that pace.”

I’m still holding the bubbly though.

There’s still another title in play.

I just finished watching the Pool A game between New Zealand and France and while I have done the various permutations that the Springbok Sevens need in order to secure the title, a few things that happened on my laptop screen told me that the title of IRB Sevens World Series 2008/2009 for South Africa is all but in the bag.

(1) Soon after the final whistle of the SA vs. USA game (34-5) and after the channel’s interview with Gio Aplon, I noticed that Supersport was showing a message  congratulating the BlitzBokke for winning the title.

(2) While New Zealand was playing France, the camera panned to a shot of the Bokke watching the game from the sideline while they were “cooling down.”  This is rather unheard of as this never happens on the sideline.  The NZ-France was obviously very important to the Bokke’s quest.

Indeed it was.  By beating the French, New Zealand had ensured that South Africa reach the Cup Quarter-finals of the Edinburgh Sevens 2009.  Even if they lose in the quarter-finals, the Springboks will have earned their much-needed SINGULAR POINT to ensure they win their very first International Rugby Board Sevens World Series Title.

However, like some of the players have said… I wait for the Bokke to win the Cup.

Hold the champagne.

“We’re not normally a morning team” said Paul Treu after the Springboks’ comfortable win over France in the first game of the Edinburgh Sevens.  He also declared that he was ”happy” with the win especially with the first half where the Bokke ran in 3 unanswered tries.

South Africa’s account at Murrayfield was opened by some brilliant running off the step by Renfred Dazel who off-loaded a cheeky pass to Mpho Mbiyozo in order for him to score under the sticks.  Score SA 7-0 France

After a yellow card  to France, South Africa capitalised with France at 6 players through a try by Philip Snyman.  The conversion was good and South Africa was leading 14-0.

Rayno Benjamin missed a sitter when he lost the ball forward over the try-line.  However, Bok Captain Mzwandile Stick made up for it soon after to take the score to 21-0 at halftime.

The speed of all the players in the South African squad was emphasised because all 3 tries were scored off the inside shoulder.

After the break Rayno Benjamin made up for his first-half booboo by scoring the first try of the second half.  The conversion was good and South Africa saw themselves up with an unasailable lead of 28-0.

Marius Schoeman made a bit of history when he came on by playing in his 39th tournament.  Thanks to commentator Nigel Starmer-smith we know know the the Sevens stalwart is an avid helicopter pilot who is training to be a “full” pilot!

Rayno Benjamin soon scored his 48th try (on the all-time IRB list) to bring the score for South Africa up to 33-0.  However, he spoiled it somewhat later by deliberately knocking the ball forward, in the process getting yellow-carded for his effort.

France then scored 2 successive tries, the last right at the end of the game to bring the final score to 33-10

All in all a comfortable win for the BlitzBokke.

One more to go, or like someone said on the BlitzBokke FaceBook Group:

“Nog enetjie asseblief?” (Another little one please)