BlitzBoks reveal squad to chase gold in Paris
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: BlitzBoks interim head coach Philip Snyman has named his 14-man squad that will chase gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Six of the 14 players have Olympic experience under the belt - including 2016 bronze medalist Rosko Specman.
Specman who is also a one-Test Springbok will partake in his second Olympic games alongside Impi Visser, Zain Davids, Selvyn Davids, Ronald Brown and Siviwe Soyizwapi who participated in the Tokyo Olympics - ending fifth in 2021.
Brown and Katlego Letebele will serve as travelling reserves and will only be called upon in the event of an injury to the 12 players allowed for the squad and residence in the Olympic village.
Interim head coach Philip Snyman rewarded the group that won the Olympic repechage tournament in Monaco last month that secured the last qualifying spot on the 12-team roster for Paris.
“I could not fault the effort from the guys that went to Monaco, and it was only fair that they were rewarded for that,” said Snyman.
“The team missed out on qualifying for the Olympics during the normal series and at the African qualifiers, so the guys who did the job in Monaco deserved the opportunity.
“Also, as a team we played really well and with good understanding of each other, so it would have been counterproductive to break that by bringing in different players.
“I opted for the same guys that played in Monaco as well as Ronald, who was due to travel but picked up a late injury, and Katlego, who played in all our tournaments in the regular season apart from Madrid, when we rested some key players.”
The BlitzBoks will square off against Ireland, New Zealand and Japan in Pool A at the Stade de France in Paris.
Argentina, Australia, Samoa and Kenya will contest Pool B with hosts France coming up against defending champions Fiji , USA and Uruguay in Pool C.
BlitzBoks squad: Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser, Zain Davids, Quewin Nortje, Tiaan Pretorius, Shaun Williams, Selvyn Davids (captain), Tristian Leyds, Rosko Specman, Siviwe Soyiswapi, Shilton van Wyk, Ronald Brown (travelling reserve), Katlego Letebele (travelling reserve).
Fixtures:
Wednesday, July 24 (Kick-off is local time – GMT plus two hours)
Men:
Australia v Samoa - 15.30
Argentina v Kenya - 16.00
France v USA - 16:30
Fiji v Uruguay - 17.00
Ireland v South Africa - 17.30
New Zealand v Japan - 18.00
Australia v Kenya - 19.00
Argentina v Samoa - 19.30
France v Uruguay - 20.00
Fiji v USA - 20.30
Ireland v Japan - 21.00
New Zealand v South Africa - 21.30
Thursday, July 25 (Kick-off is local time – GMT plus two hours)
Samoa v Kenya - 14.00
Argentina v Australia - 14.30
USA v Uruguay - 15.00
Fiji v France - 15.30
South Africa v Japan - 16.00
New Zealand v Ireland - 16:30
Sunday, July 28 (Kick-off is local time – GMT plus two hours)
Women:
Ireland v Great Britain - 15.30
Australia v South Africa - 16.00
USA v Japan - 16.30
France v Brazil - 17.00
Fiji v Canada - 17.30
New Zealand v China - 18.00
Ireland v South Africa - 19.00
Australia v Great Britain - 19.30
USA v Brazil - 20.00
France v Japan - 20.30
Fiji v China - 21.00
New Zealand v Canada - 21.30
Monday, July 29 (Kick-off is local time – GMT plus two hours)
Great Britian v South Africa - 14.00
Australia v Ireland - 14.30
Japan v Brazil - 15.00
France v USA - 15.30
Canada v China - 16.00
New Zealand v Fiji - 16.30