Blitzboks produce masterclass to win Dubai 7s

The Springbok Sevens side produced a masterclass of power and pace to demolish USA 42-7 to retain their Dubai Sevens title on Saturday evening.

The Blitzboks stretched their unbeaten run to 18 matches and their unbeaten run in games against the USA to eight games now as they were in control from the kickoff until the final whistle.

In fact, there was only one team in the match as they never really let the USA get anywhere near to threatening them, and controlled the breakdown with a ruthlessness that we have come to know under coach Neil Powell.

The Blitzboks beat USA 42-7 to win the #Dubai7s with a rugby masterclass ?????? pic.twitter.com/pp7q0ehcaV

— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) November 27, 2021

After winning the only two games in the shortened World Series in Canada, the Blitzboks were rarely threatened at all in Dubai, especially after their expected biggest rivals - Olympic champions Fiji - were beaten in the semifinals.

Without New Zealand and Samoa at the Sevens, it does have a bit more of a hollow victory tone about it, but still an impressive, disciplined and ruthless campaign by Powell’s side.

This time it was the inspirational figure of Ronald Brown who took the man of the match award and well deserved, especially given his back story of having recovered from cancer that threatened his career.

Brown scored the opening try and went on to cap a hat-trick of tries in the game, adding five conversions as well for a personal haul of 25 points in the game.

In 2019 Ronald Brown was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

He lost 11kg over eight months.

Today, he scored a hat-trick in the #Dubai7s final to be named man of the match ?? pic.twitter.com/guCTB0HeH7

— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) November 27, 2021

He was joined on the scoreboard by JC Pretorius, one of the unsung heroes of the Blitzbok campaign, playmaker Selvyn Davids and newcomer Shaun Williams in the comprehensive victory.

It was the eighth time that the Blitzboks won the Dubai Sevens title, and it is hard not to see the Sevens stadium as a home ground for them given their success here.

From here the tournament will repeat itself next weekend, this time with fans in attendance and the Blitzboks have the chance to do the double in the desert.

But for now, they will be happy with their performances and how clinical they were in execution.