Blitzboks legend Fabian Juries reckons his old team have a shot at an Olympic Games medal after finally qualifying for this year’s multi-sport event in Paris.
South Africa klapped Great Britain 14-5 in Sunday’s Olympic Repechage tournament final in Monaco to book the final available spot at Paris 2024’s sevens tournament.
But for the Blitzboks to go for gold, former Stormers wing Juries feels there are a few things that need improvement if they want to truly get back to their best.
Juries tells the Daily Voice: “I must say our defensive display was much better in the tournament. We looked after the ball well even if we did not have a lot of it in the final against GB.
“But we need to work on our discipline because some of the yellow cards we conceded are not going to help us when we play at the Olympics. The other teams we are going to face there, with all due respect, are far better than the ones we faced in Monaco.
“I have to, however, mention that the intensity I saw from the guys was much better, especially the way the guys scrambled when GB starved us of possession.
A screen saver for the week. pic.twitter.com/YYche7aO1h
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) June 23, 2024
“And if we can keep that mindset on defence at the Olympics it will serve us well.
“We just need to get back a bit more X-factor when it comes to our attacking play, because I feel we did not score enough tries. We need the X-factor players to come through a bit more and create and finish off those sorts of opportunities.”
The Blitzboks will have to do it the hard way at Paris 2024 after being drawn in Pool A alongside New Zealand, Ireland and Japan.
Macarena in Monaco. Why not? pic.twitter.com/DfjjRtZNwE
Jurie, though, feels at the Olympics it will be who blinks first as any one of France, Fiji, New Zealand, Argentina and SA can go on to win gold.
francois.dewet@inl.co.za