The Blitzboks may have extended their remarkable run of consistency by reaching a sixth consecutive HSBC SVNS World Championship final in Valladolid, but coach Philip Snyman believes they left Spain with an important lesson ahead of this weekend’s season finale in Bordeaux.
South Africa scored 21 tries across their six matches and remained top of the World Championship standings despite Sunday’s 26-19 defeat to Australia. Yet, Snyman felt his side failed to make enough of their opportunities when it mattered most.
“We were not clinical enough. In the final, we missed too many tackles and that got them back into the game,” Snyman said afterwards.
The concern extends beyond the championship match. Although the Blitzboks reached another final, they were forced to scrap for victories during the pool stages, needing a golden-point try to overcome Great Britain before being pushed hard by both Kenya and Spain.
For Snyman, that inability to consistently impose themselves early in tournaments remains a concern.
“You are supposed to set the standard on day one and pick up the momentum from there, but we did not quite do that and in fact struggled on the first two days,” he said.
The issue is one the coach also raised after the team’s title-winning performance in Hong Kong, suggesting there is still room for improvement despite South Africa’s position at the top of the standings.
“Earlier in the tournament we were not at our best and will have a look at that,” Snyman said.
The good news for the Blitzboks is that they continue to find ways to win and remain four points clear of Argentina heading into Bordeaux. But with Fiji, Kenya and Great Britain awaiting in a challenging pool, South Africa know another slow start could prove costly.
“Playing in six consecutive finals is great, but this one was not our best, so we need to come back stronger,” said Snyman.
For the World Championship leaders, Bordeaux is now about turning their dominance into ruthlessness.
