Blitzboks desperate to lift title in Cape Town: 'It has been too long'

It's been seven long years since the Blitzboks last won their home tournament in the World Rugby Sevens Series. 

This coming weekend, they will be looking to end that drought when the Cape Town Sevens gets underway on Friday. 

Assistant coach Philip Snyman says the South Africans are desperate to win in the Mother City after storming to the Dubai Sevens title just a week ago. 

"Yes, we really want to win this, it has been too long," Snyman said, who, as a player lit up fields around the world on the sevens circuit, which included home wins in George, Nelson Mandela Bay and Cape Town.  

Snyman feels the added pressure may have been a downfall in past home tournaments, leading to a seven-year drought. 

"Last weekend's win (in Dubai) was possible without those spectators, the family and the friends, so it can be done. 

"What we realised last week was that if we do the small things right, the results come, and if we can focus on that again this weekend, there is no reason why we cannot have the same outcome. We need to focus on those here this weekend, not so much on the crowd," he added. 

For Snyman, the transition of the side that missed five consecutive podium finishes into one that could claim a win for the first time was frustrating to players and fans alike. 

"The turn-around was frustrating, yes," he said. 

"I wish I could tell you how we felt after the loss to Great Britain in the opening game in Dubai. And how that feeling changed as we started to turn it around against Kenya and then Australia, getting better and better towards the final. 

"We are turning things around now as the players are starting to execute and understand what we want from them. It is great to arrive in Cape Town with good momentum and a chance. We have