Durban — The Blitzboks bombed in their first match of the France Sevens on Friday afternoon when hosts France smashed them 31-7.
With two tournaments to go in the World Sevens Series, the South Africans are fighting to qualify for the Olympic Games next year, also hosted by France.
They will have to pull themselves together because their Pool C doesn’t get any easier — on Friday night at 21H03 they play tournament favourites Fiji and tomorrow afternoon they play the USA (13H49).
It would always be a tough ask for coach Sandile Ngcobo’s team on Friday. The venue in Toulouse was packed with passionate Frenchmen and they soon had plenty to cheer about.
France scored twice in the first half to lead 12-0 at half time and straight after they restart they scored once more. They added a fourth for a 24-0 lead before the Blitzboks, at last, scored their first points of the tournament when James Murphy wriggled through the defence.
But that was it for the men in green and France had the last say at the hooter to win 31-7.
IOL Sport