Captain Selvyn Davids admitted that the Blitzboks were caught off guard by Australia’s tactics as their Cape Town Sevens hoodoo continued on Sunday.
Australia produced a playoff masterclass to whitewash the Springbok Sevens 28-0 and bundle the tournament hosts out in the quarter-finals.
From the first whistle, Australia dominated possession and territory, trapping the Blitzboks in their 22-metre area and forcing the home side to spend long periods on defence.
“They surprised us a bit,” Davids admitted after the match. “They didn’t play their normal game, as they usually play. We couldn’t adapt to it.
“Even the best defensive team can’t keep a team out for all the phases that Australia had. Australia kept the ball, played long phases and at the end of the day we just crumbled.”
The defeat continues the Blitzboks’ struggling record in Cape Town, where they have not won the cup since 2015.
The Springbok Sevens next face New Zealand in the fifth-place playoff at 4.52pm.
“We are disappointed. We haven’t done well in Cape Town for a while. We tried to change that, but we couldn’t,” Davids added.
“There isn’t a lot to say, but we just need to stick together. It’s not the end of the world. There are still six tournaments left. There are still games left to play today so we must just stay focused.”
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images