Blitzboks coach Philip Snyman was probably the most unsurprised person in the Stade de France on Thursday night after his side stunned New Zealand in the Olympic Games Sevens tournament quarterfinals to progress to the medal matches.
The Blitzboks were in danger of not progressing to the quarters after a difficult first day saw them fall to defeats against Ireland and New Zealand in their first two pool games on Wednesday.
However in their third pool game on Thursday afternoon they crushed Japan 49-5 to sneak into the knockouts as the eighth seed, edging Samoa out on points difference, after they both finished the pool stage with five points each.
The Blitzboks were also the last team to qualify for the Olympics, having to go the long way by winning the repechage tournament in Monaco last month, and heading into the Games there werent high expectations placed on them, after they had a difficult season on the Sevens World Series.
True South African fashionBut in true South African fashion, the Blitzboks showed grit, fight, character and determination to squeeze into the quarterfinals and then upset a fancied New Zealand team who reached the last eight unbeaten.
