Cecil Afrika says he expects the Blitzboks to bounce back from a poor start to the World Rugby Sevens Series in the second tournament in Cape Town this weekend. DYLAN JACK reports.

Defeats to Argentina, England and Fiji saw the Blitzboks finish sixth in Dubai last weekend, a disappointing result considering they had won the previous two tournaments there.

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However, Afrika says there were still some positives for the Blitzboks to take out of the tournament.

‘Obviously, we made a lot of errors, fundamental errors, basic stuff, but I think if we can rectify those mistakes, we will be a force to be reckoned with this weekend.’

Afrika believes the Blitzboks, who will be in the same as pool as New Zealand, Samoa and Zimbabwe in Cape Town, should focus on the fact that they created plenty of scoring opportunities in Dubai.

‘I think they would have been talking about just cutting down those errors, getting their basics right and building a good foundation come their first game against Samoa on Saturday. Then we will just have to build from there. There were a couple of opportunities where we could have scored last weekend and we need to take those opportunities this weekend and make use of them fully.’

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The 30-year-old sevens veteran has been out of action with a hamstring injury that he suffered last season, but hopes to recover in time to be part of the squad travelling to New Zealand and Australia for the third and fourth tournaments of the series.

‘Things are going well. I am in the last phase of my rehab. So I just want to make sure that I am ready for the next two tournaments [in Hamilton and Sydney]. That is the big plan and what I am working towards. We will take it one day and one weekend at a time.’

Photo: @Blitzboks/Twitter