Impi Visser: Blitzboks mean business at Singapore Sevens after Hong Kong loss
Impi Visser Blitzboks co-captain Impi Visser competes against a Kenyan player during at last weekend's Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: World Rugby
Image: Zach Franzen World Rugby
As one of the leaders in the Springbok Sevens team, Impi Visser constantly wonders what went wrong and how they can fix things when the team do not deliver in the World Rugby SVNS Series.
Last weekend's hot-and-cold performance in Hong Kong, where they ended ninth overall, brought more questions than answers for the Blitzboks, but they will look to rectify it at the Singapore Sevens on Saturday and Sunday.
It's the final tournament of the regular season, where the league winners will be crowned.
Although the South Africans are out of the running to win the title after the slip-up in Hong Kong, they can still have a say in who takes the overall crown.
They've been handed a tough draw, with Great Britain and defending champions Argentina waiting on Saturday.
But should they beat the South Americans and progress to the cup playoffs, they'll open the door for Fiji or Spain to snatch the title this year.
Only the top teams from the four pools will go straight to the semi-finals on Sunday. There will be no quarter-finals, so every match matters this weekend.
Impi Visser: 'We know we can be a tough opponent if we do things well ... and that is exactly what our focus will be this weekend' - more here: https://t.co/KD8r8ZcPPO 🔭#Blitzboks #PoweredByUnity #HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/vFPTmuH7Tb — Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) April 2, 2025
'We are here, and we mean business,' Visser said on Wednesday ahead of the weekend's games.
'Especially after a disappointing weekend in Hong Kong... We fired hot and very cold, and we have a lot of work to do.
'It's time to get stuck in and down to business. As one of the leaders, you always wonder where we can get better – what went wrong, what we need to work on, and if we need to change things.
'Those things constantly run through your mind.
'But once we analysed our footage, we saw it is minor things we need to fix. Small mistakes.
'We didn't play towards our strengths and the systems we've put in place. It was a little disappointing, but we have a weekend to fix that.'
Wait for the celebrations - a day to remember for Gino ❤️🇿🇦#Blitzboks #PoweredByUnity pic.twitter.com/Vd9yLiu3M0 — Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) March 31, 2025
They'll face Great Britain in the first pool match on Saturday (7.26am), and according to Visser, it's important not to look too far ahead.
Yes, the big match will be against the Argentinians (10.44am), and that will likely determine who will go through.
But if the Blitzboks do not start well against Britain, they'll have a difficult task ahead.
David Brits and Sebastiaan Jobb were brought in as replacements, and their versatility should add a different edge to the South Africans.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
‘You call this leadership?': DA's Liam Jacobs grills SAFA president Danny Jordaan over travel expenses
Democratic Alliance's (DA) member of the portfolio committee on Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, has grilled SAFA president Danny Jordaan on whether he is a responsible leader, over costly travel expenses. Image: Facebook/Liam Jacobs Democratic Alliance (DA) MP and member of the portfolio committee on Sports, Arts and Culture, Liam Jacobs, who's known for his tough line of questioning, grilled SAFA President Danny Jordaan over his leadership and travel expenses. The clash occurred during a briefing on SAFA's 2023/24 annual report, which included audited financial statements and governance issues. Jacobs began his questioning by asking Jordaan, 'Do you believe in the concept of democracy? Can you please put your microphone on when you respond?' Jordaan replied, 'I'm a product of a struggle for democracy...' Jacobs continued, asking whether Jordaan respected the concept of democracy and if he understood the importance of term limits. Jordaan, who appeared caught off guard, said, 'You're asking me a question that is self-evident,' He added, 'I understand it. I was here as a member of Parliament.' Jacobs then pressed Jordaan on his long tenure as SAFA president. 'Are you aware that you are one of the longest-serving presidents of any football association on the planet?' Jordaan responded, 'It's not true,' prompting Jacobs to fire back, 'Twelve years, almost...' As tensions rose, Jordaan interjected, 'I'm still busy with my interrogation here... They must ask the questions and answer. Just order. Now he's engaging me now.' Committee Chairperson Joe McGluva intervened, urging members to allow questions to be asked and responses to follow in an orderly manner. Fellow committee member PA Marlon Daniels objected to Jacobs' conduct, particularly pointing his finger at Jordaan. 'What I witnessed here is not right. It is absolutely rude for a child to have that kind of conduct toward someone old enough to be his father,' Daniels said. McGluva then asked Jacobs to apologise for the gesture if it had occurred. 'I apologise for that,' Jacobs said. Daniels also withdrew the remark calling Jacobs a 'child.' 'I'm terribly sorry. I forgot I'm not at home where I deal with my children like that. So I withdrew...' Meanwhile, Jacobs continued with his line of questioning. 'Do you consider yourself a responsible leader?' Jordaan initially appeared hesitant but ultimately responded, 'The response was yes, Honourable Jacobs.' Jacobs then raised concerns over Jordaan's travel expenses, saying, 'In my hands, as I sit here, I have got something I know you don't think I have.' He mentioned trips, including a R131,000 trip to Ivory Coast and London, two visits to Qatar costing R56,000 and R31,000, and a trip to Vietnam for the Oceania Congress from September 29 to October 3, 2023.' 'What are we as South Africans doing in Vietnam at an Oceania Congress of an organisation that only has 13 members thousands of kilometres away?' Jacobs asked. He also mentioned trips to Cameroon for R105,574 and Morocco for R82,833, questioning the value of such spending amid SAFA's financial strain. However, Jordaan defended the Vietnam trip, saying it was related to South Africa's bid to host the FIFA Women's World Cup. 'You may know, or you may not know, that South Africa made a bid for hosting the Women's World Cup. The CEO was with me. Tumi Tlamini was with me,' Jordaan said. 'Do you have their costs there? Do you have their flight tickets there? This is a campaign.'
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
Rickelton says facing Aussies in Test final is ‘a dream come true'
The World Test Championship final will be contested at Lord's in London next week. Ryan Rickelton in the nets in Arundel, England, ahead of next week's big match. Picture: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images Proteas top order batter Ryan Rickelton says the opportunity to face one of the world's most dominant Test teams, Australia, in the World Test Championship final at Lord's next week is 'a dream come true'. The South Africans are already in England, playing a warm-up game against Zimbabwe this week, ahead of next week's big final against the Australians. Rickelton will open the batting with either Aiden Markram or Tony de Zorzi. 'I just have a really great opportunity to play against Australia in England in front of my family. They'll all be there, and my friends as well. So, what a cool week that'll be, and if I can contribute with the bat and put in a performance, that'll make it even sweeter,' said the 28-year-old in an interview with SportsBoom. 'I've always watched Australia since I was a young boy, and they've been such a dominant force in world cricket for a long time. So, this is a dream come true for me.' 'New opportunity' Rickelton had been in and out of the Proteas set-up for a few years until recently, and even missed out on facing the Australians three years ago in the Test arena when team doctors said he needed knee surgery. He delayed the operation and while the Proteas were playing Down Under he was scoring truckloads of runs for the Lions in domestic cricket. Fast forward to 2024 and Rickelton was a first-choice man in the Test team and he's now also right up there pushing for a permanent spot in the white-ball sides. His 259 against Pakistan in the New Year's Test earlier this season has ensured he will get an extended run for the Proteas. Looking ahead to the World Test Championship final, Rickelton told SportsBoom: 'Bygones are bygones. It's in the past. This is a new opportunity for me.' He added: 'I'm a bit nervous. It was a new opportunity to open the batting in the New Year's Test, let alone the final against Australia. 'But, in saying that, I just want to bat, so if that's where I need to do my job, then hopefully I can prepare accordingly and try to set the game up for the team and dig in for a period of time.' He continued: 'With a new ball, generally it requires a bit of searching, which offers up some runs, so hopefully I can do myself justice and face a lengthy or a good sum of balls and back myself. If I face a few dozen deliveries, I'll be able to get some runs as well.'
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
From hero to spectator: Themba Zwane's silent night in CAF final defeat signals a changing of the guard
Lunga Biyela | Published 9 hours ago South Africans and Mamelodi Sundowns supporters watched helplessly on Sunday as the mighty Tshwane giants fell at the final hurdle in their bid to win a second CAF Champions League crown. Egyptian side Pyramids dominated the South African champions and lifted the continental crown for the very first time in their history. Also watching helplessly was talisman Themba Zwane, who was an unused substitute throughout the match. In years gone by, coaches at Sundowns have always relied on the veteran to conjure something up and get the club out of jail, so everyone was perplexed as to why he was not called upon as the Brazilians struggled to get back into the game. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. When asked why Zwane was not brought on, Miguel Cardoso's answer hinted at how he sees the player. 'I totally understand what kind of answer you want or you're looking for, but it's not time to speak about individual performances of players,' the Portuguese said. 'This group is very qualified, with a lot of quality players, and obviously Themba is one of them.' That reaction speaks volumes — Zwane's days as the key player at Sundowns are clearly numbered. Throughout the season, the club have had to do without him anyway, as he spent months on the treatment table. In that time, others have stepped up to fill the void. One of those is Jayden Adams, signed from Stellenbosch FC in January and tasked with replacing Zwane. Adams impressed but didn't completely fill Zwane's massive boots. But with Zwane turning 36 in two months, it seems like the writing's on the wall , and he will now play a bit-part role at the club. He signed a new contract until the end of the 2025/26 season in April, but will now be looking back and thinking if that may have been a rash decision. South Africans will now be watching to see how much of a role Mshishi plays at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, kicking off in two weeks. If he continues to play off the bench, then it will be clear that Cardoso no longer sees him as an important player. Whatever happens next, Zwane's legacy at Sundowns is already secure. He has been at the heart of the club's most successful era, inspiring a generation with his elegance, intelligence, and clutch performances in the biggest moments. Whether he fades quietly into a supporting role or finds one last chapter of brilliance, his contribution to South African football will not be forgotten. For now, the question is not whether Mshishi still has magic in his boots — but whether he'll be given the stage to show it one last time. Maybe it's time he picked up that call from Kaizer Motaung Jr. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to [email protected] . Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication). Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
