REMATCH: Blitzboks bash Japan to book quarter-final against All Blacks

The Blitzboks are into the quarter-finals of the Olympics sevens event after clinching a commanding 49-5 win in their final pool game against Japan on Thursday.

The Blitzboks advanced to the play-offs as the 8th-ranked side (the best third-place finisher) and will thus have a rematch against New Zealand, who emerged as Pool A winners after edging Ireland 14-12.

The Blitzboks played with a sense of urgency that was sorely lacking in their first two encounters. They put on a clinical attacking masterclass while superbly holding their shape in defence throughout the game.

South Africa ran in five unanswered tries in a remarkable first half for a 35-0 lead at the break. They added two more tries and conceded one in the second half to wrap up the result.

The Springbok Sevens team’s quarter-final will kick off at 22:30 on Thursday night.

BLITZBOKS’ POOL SCHEDULE AT OLYMPICS:

Wednesday 24 July:
17h30: Blitzboks lost 10-5 to Ireland
21h30: Blitzboks lost 17-5 New Zealand

Thursday 25 July
16h00: Blitzboks beat Japan 49-0

(SA times, all matches on SuperSport):

Blitzboks squad for the 2024 Olympic Games — Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen. Impi Visser*, Zain Davids*, Quewin Nortje, Tiaan Pretorius, Shaun Williams, Selvyn Davids* (captain), Tristan Leyds, Rosko Specman**, Siviwe Soyizwapi*, Shilton van Wyk.
Travelling reserves: Ronald Brown*, Katlego Letebele.

* indicates Tokyo 2021
** indicates Rio 2016