By Mark Etheridge
The Blitzboks caned Canada 36-7 to book their spot in the semi-finals of the HSBC World Sevens Series in Vancouver on Sunday evening.
Like last week when the South Africans had to beat hosts United States in the Las Vegas leg of the series, they had to cope with both their opponents and a vocal crowd.
But nothing silences a crowd more effectively than scoring… and the Blitzboks ran riot from early on.
Rosco Speckman scored a spectacular try within the first minute, running from his own 22-metre line.
And there were two more tries before halftime through Siviwe ‘Shakes’ Soyizwapi and Chris Dry (with yet more help from Speckman). A Canadian counter was launched by Justin Douglas, who found some space down the right, but the halftime hooter sounded with the Blitzboks 17-7 ahead.
In the second half Cecil Afrika put the Blitzboks 24-7 up after a lovely break by Branco du Preez and he then turned provider with a delightful cross-kick to Soyizwapi to put the game well beyond the hosts (31-7 after the conversion).
In the dying seconds it was Soyizwapi who wrapped up his hat-trick, and the match, to seal things.
Next up for the Blitzboks are another North American side in the shape of the United States shortly after midnight SA time.