Springbok Sevens interim head coach Philip Snyman praised his team after their stunning victory over New Zealand in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, a win that will see them contest for a medal when they face France at 15h30 on Saturday in the semifinals of the tournament.
South Africa beat Japan 49-5 to sneak into the playoffs – they had to win by 21 points or more – and then showed sheer determination to eliminate New Zealand by 14-7.
“They deserve to be in the semifinals, as they have executed and delivered everything, I have asked from them today,” Snyman said after the match.
“We did not play poorly on day one, we just could not get our hands on the ball, but today was a different performance, a really inspiring one.
“We needed to win big against Japan and scored seven well-worked tries, but against New Zealand, our defence was going to be crucial, and I am so proud of how the guys responded.”
Snyman said he had a good feeling about the ability of the players selected to travel to the world showpiece.
“Once we made it into the quarters, I told them to start believing that it is possible,” said Snyman.
“I had a good feeling about the ability of the side, so once we were into the last eight, it was time to remind them of that.
“This was such a great win, built on defence and work-rate, while we struck when we needed to. In fact, we left another try or two out there. These guys deserve to contest for a medal, they showed that tonight.”