Ngcobo wasn’t in the United Arab Emirates as he sustained an Achilles injury recently – which saw assistant coach Philip Snyman take charge – but the former speedster is back in the saddle for Saturday and Sunday’s action at the Cape Town Stadium.
Blitzbok coach Sandile Ngcobo may still be sporting a moon boot on his left leg, but his big smile was evident once more on Tuesday ahead of the Cape Town Sevens.
That smile may not have been as broad during a difficult last season, but things are looking up for the Springbok Sevens team again after their fifth consecutive triumph at the Dubai Sevens last weekend.
Ngcobo wasn’t in the United Arab Emirates as he sustained an Achilles injury recently – which saw assistant coach Philip Snyman take charge – but the former speedster is back in the saddle for Saturday and Sunday’s action at the Cape Town Stadium.
South Africa have been drawn in Pool A alongside Ireland, USA and Great Britain, and will hope to clinch a rare home title this weekend.
Not long until #HSBCSVNS Cape Town 🪩🕺
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“I missed them. I was suffering alone at home in front of the TV, writing notes, going mad … But I’m happy to be back,” Ngcobo said on Tuesday, on arrival at the team hotel near Cape Town’s Waterfront.
“Just being us, just doing us. That was the whole (plan) from the camp, just focusing on us as there are a lot of distractions, so come back to zero, and recovery. The guys we are playing against have won games against us, so it’s very important for us to recover as well.
“That was essential, just us having a camp against Australia, who are a quality outfit (in preparing for Dubai). They are in the top-five sides now, and in our nine matches in recent years, we’ve won six and them three.
“But the three that they won were actually key games that we lost, so it was important for us to play against them, just for confidence, to see if we are doing the right things, and we got that right. That momentum built up to Dubai.”
The Blitzboks last won the Cape Town Sevens title in 2015, and reached the final in 2019, where they lost 7-5 to New Zealand.
But they have renewed confidence after the success in Dubai, and although they have lost Christie Grobbelaar to an ankle injury, they will hope to give the home fans something to shout about on Sunday night.
Blitzboks without Grobbelaar in @CapeTown7s
More here: https://t.co/yT7omCUNdF@WeBuyCars_SA #PoweredByUnity pic.twitter.com/a4TiLt3UOM— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) December 5, 2023
“(The plan is to) just do us, just cut out the noise, draw energy from (the home supporters), but there are a lot of distractions,” Ngcobo said.
“So, (we need to) keep doing us and make sure we focus on the plan, and then we can enjoy everything afterwards. There is no easy pool any more. There is no way that you can underestimate any team. We are fully aware that Ireland are a quality outfit.
“They have made a few adjustments in how they play, and myself and coach Philip will definitely make adjustments in terms of how they play. Great Britain are also a great team, and USA are always competitive.’’
