Dazel urges players to use their chances

IF the Springbok Sevens side manage to claim a medal at the Tokyo Olympics it will be a miracle of sorts.

The Blitzboks’ campaign has been disrupted since they reached Japan, with the squad placed in quarantine due to a Covid-19 close contact on their flight from Doha to Tokyo.

That delayed their departure for a pre-tournament camp in Kagoshima, and upon arrival in the southern city, disaster struck when head coach Neil Powell tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to go into isolation.

Assistant coach Renfred Dazel had to take charge, and the former Blitzbok star had to contend with more adversity – the squad will have to be split into two once they return to Tokyo ahead of their first match against Ireland on Monday.

This was because the management members and five players were deemed to be close contacts of Powell when they travelled to Kagoshima, and they will not be allowed to stay in the Olympic Village. They will live in another hotel, and only join the other players at the training venues on Saturday and Sunday.

“There is not much we can do about that, so we will have to make it work,” Dazel said. “We have been adapting since we arrived and it is not easy, but credit to everyone who keeps smiles on their faces and is working hard.

“I was a bit stunned when Neil told me that everything is now in mine and Marius’ (Schoeman) hands over the last few days. It hasn’t sunk in as I am still doing the job that I usually do. “But because we have been in so much contact with Neil, and the leadership in the group, it makes the practices and the time in the hotel much easier for us. Every day there is a new challenge, and we need to adapt. Some players are sleeping in the village and others in another hotel, but we just have to adapt to that situation.”

It will be all or nothing on Monday, with the Blitzboks facing Ireland (4am SA time), followed by Kenya (12pm). They then take on the US on Tuesday (4.30am) ahead of the quarter-finals on the same day, with the semi-finals and final on Wednesday.

“We have played matches, and it is our second Olympics, so that makes it a bit easier. We know what our shortcomings were in the previous Olympics, and we didn’t use our chances. That is the message to our players – we need to use our chances,” Dazel said