Forget about basking in the glow of Cape Town triumphs—there's no rest for the wicked as the Blitzboks gear up for the next battle at the Singapore Sevens. With fresh memories of hometown glory, the team is set to tackle a new set of challenges on the Asian circuit.
Zander Reynders, who's notched up three tournament wins with the squad, is confident about the upcoming matches. "This weekend, every game could practically be a quarter-final—that's how tight this series is," remarked Reynders as the team packed up for their trip from Cape Town to Singapore.
"Cape Town's performances will not help us in Singapore, we need to go out again and do it from scratch."
The Blitzboks are slotted into a pool that reads like a who's who of rugby sevens—Great Britain, Spain, and Fiji, all of which will converge at Singapore's National Stadium. Memories of past Singapore showdowns are still fresh for Reynders, especially scoring his first try there. "Last year wasn't our best outing, so I'm banking on turning those past disappointments into a better performance this time around."
With newcomers Renaldo Young and Luan Giliomee in tow, Reynders is playing the role of the seasoned guide. "Being a rookie last year, I know the ropes, which should help the new guys settle in," he explained, detailing his efforts to ease the newcomers' nerves, including social strategies like mealtime seating.
While the primary focus in Singapore will be on rugby, Reynders has a personal mission too—to hunt down a special tea shop. "I promised my in-laws some unique teas, so that's on my agenda during our day off," he said with a grin.
The Blitzboks will have their work cut out for them with a tight schedule, arriving only days before the first game. However, with their eyes on the prize and a bit of local shopping, they're ready to make a splash in Singapore.
Blitzboks squad for Singapore: Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Zain Davids, Ricardo Duarttee, Nabo Sokoyi, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Donavan Don, Sebastiaan Jobb, David Brits, Renaldo Young, Zander Reynders, Tristan Leyds, Luan Giliomee.
Pool fixtures (SA times): Saturday 31 January: Spain at 6:54am, Great Britain at 10:20am, and Fiji at 1:46pm.
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Forget about basking in the glow of Cape Town triumphs—there's no rest for the wicked as the Blitzboks gear up for the next battle at the Singapore Sevens. With fresh memories of hometown glory, the team is set to tackle a new set of challenges on the Asian circuit.
Zander Reynders, who's notched up three tournament wins with the squad, is confident about the upcoming matches. "This weekend, every game could practically be a quarter-final—that's how tight this series is," remarked Reynders as the team packed up for their trip from Cape Town to Singapore.
"Cape Town's performances will not help us in Singapore, we need to go out again and do it from scratch."
The Blitzboks are slotted into a pool that reads like a who's who of rugby sevens—Great Britain, Spain, and Fiji, all of which will converge at Singapore's National Stadium. Memories of past Singapore showdowns are still fresh for Reynders, especially scoring his first try there. "Last year wasn't our best outing, so I'm banking on turning those past disappointments into a better performance this time around."
With newcomers Renaldo Young and Luan Giliomee in tow, Reynders is playing the role of the seasoned guide. "Being a rookie last year, I know the ropes, which should help the new guys settle in," he explained, detailing his efforts to ease the newcomers' nerves, including social strategies like mealtime seating.
While the primary focus in Singapore will be on rugby, Reynders has a personal mission too—to hunt down a special tea shop. "I promised my in-laws some unique teas, so that's on my agenda during our day off," he said with a grin.
The Blitzboks will have their work cut out for them with a tight schedule, arriving only days before the first game. However, with their eyes on the prize and a bit of local shopping, they're ready to make a splash in Singapore.
Blitzboks squad for Singapore: Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Zain Davids, Ricardo Duarttee, Nabo Sokoyi, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Donavan Don, Sebastiaan Jobb, David Brits, Renaldo Young, Zander Reynders, Tristan Leyds, Luan Giliomee.
Pool fixtures (SA times): Saturday 31 January: Spain at 6:54am, Great Britain at 10:20am, and Fiji at 1:46pm.