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Stick hails Boks as motivating factor

Monday 01st December 2008

Happy times: Stick celebrates winning the Dubai Sevens

The victorious South African Sevens side have hailed their 15-man counterparts as the inspiration behind Saturday's victory at the Dubai leg of the IRB World Sevens Series.

Captain Mzwandile Stick, who was the hero of the day for the Sevens side with a drop-goal from the half-way line to beat Fiji, hailed the national side's success as a motivating factor for his team.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers also presented the Bok Seven players with their match jerseys on Thursday and he attended all their matches.

"South African rugby is doing very well at the moment," Stick said in his post-match reaction.

"The Springboks won the World Cup last year and they returned unbeaten from their UK tour. They are our inspiration and we were determined to play well for our country."

Stick's drop-goal, from all of fifty metres, was enough to clinch a dramatic semi-final win over Fiji after the game had entered a period of Golden Point.

"I was thinking about it as we lined up and I'm just glad I struck it well. Everyone deserved credit for a fantastic team effort," added the captain.

Stick's coach, Paul Treu, was delighted with the win, although he remained confident throughout the weekend.

"Our preparation was really good and the players all contributed superbly," he said.

"Although this is a new-look team, we still have a couple of players who won here in 2006 and who were part of our success early this year in Adelaide.

"We were committed in defence and really took our chances at key moments."

Ryno Benjamin, who returned full-time to the squad this year, described the win in Dubai as an amazing feeling.

"We fought for every ball, especially against Fiji," Benjamin said.

"When Gio (Aplon) passed the ball to me in the goal area I was so determined not to let go of it. Now we hope for a good performance in George in front of our own fans."

The victory in Dubai was the teams' third success in the desert city - previous wins were in 2003 and 2006 - and South Africa's ninth IRB Series tournament title overall.