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HK Rugby Sevens 2015
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Captains of the top four teams in the World Series standings (from left) DJ Forbes of New Zealand (second place), Ed Jenkins of Australia (fourth), Osea Kolinisau of Fiji (third) and Kyle Brown of South Africa (first) with the Hong Kong Sevens Cup on Wednesday. Photo: Jonathan Wong/SCMP

South Africa playing ‘mind games’ for Hong Kong Sevens

Blitzbokke hope psychologist Jannie Botha will help keep the side focused on winning showpiece tournament for the first time

Springbok sevens coach Neil Powell is hopeful his "shrink-wrapped" outfit can shake off South Africa's chokers' tag and win their first Hong Kong Sevens title on Sunday.

In an unprecedented move to lift the Cup for the first time, the Blitzbokke have brought sports psychologist Dr Jannie Botha, who has helped boost their mental game as they lead the Sevens World Series and stay on course to win an automatic berth at the Rio Olympics next year.

"He has been with us all season, but this is the first time he is travelling with us. We brought him to Hong Kong to keep reminding us what we need to focus on and keep the target of winning the tournament in our minds," said Powell.

I’m not trying to hide the fact that we have never won here, but hopefully with the help of our sports psychologist we can do it this time
South Africa coach Neil Powell

Powell was yesterday reminded of South Africa's dismal record at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens by none other than countryman Pieter Schats, the chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

"South Africa have never won the Hong Kong Sevens and being a South African myself, I wish you all the best," Schats told Powell.

South Africa have played in three Cup finals in Hong Kong - the 2008 and 2009 Hong Kong Sevens and the 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens. A player and captain of past teams who failed here, Powell didn't need any reminders and accepted that perhaps Hong Kong is a bogey tournament.

"We have won every other tournament in the series bar Hong Kong. I'm not trying to hide the fact that we have never won here, but hopefully with the help of our sports psychologist we can do it this time," Powell said.

"We have been motivated this season and if the players get that same motivation we can change it this year. Last year we were overconfident and complacent coming off five consecutive finals to Hong Kong. Hopefully, we can learn from that.

"But it's all down to hard work, and there are no tricks or shortcuts. We just have to get the guys in the right mind space and bring the team together."
The Blitzbokke hope to do a lot better than their Plate success at last year's Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: KY Cheng/SCMP
The mind games will start immediately for South Africa, who face a tough pool with Argentina, France and Japan. "We have to be at our best to win. Both Argentina and France have beaten us in the past and it is not an easy pool."

Defending champions New Zealand and Fiji will be the biggest threats to South Africa. Kiwi coach Gordon Tietjens said the Hong Kong Sevens was "the tournament in the World Series", while Fiji's Ben Ryan said "it holds a special place in Fijian hearts".

Fiji and New Zealand have won 25 of the 39 tournaments - Fiji 14 times (including two RWC Sevens) and New Zealand 11 times. South Africa have a lot of catching up to do.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Blitzbokke play mind games for Sevens
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