“The second half of our match against Kenya was hugely disappointing. It was very much a game of two halves that we controlled very well in the first. I hope the second half acts as a timely reminder of how sevens can change so drastically in a short space of time.
“As a squad, we have massively overachieved in this block of tournaments, what with the limited number of players we had in the build-up. However, it is a credit to the potential in the group, and the resolve, that they have got these early results.
“It has been a successful phase of preparation and competition for the sevens programme as a whole. Blooding five new young players as part of their overall development in conjunction with the Regions is as big a result as reaching the semi-final in Dubai.
“The challenge now is to secure the continuity of these players, increase overall squad competition, and refocus on our technical and tactical strategies. These are things that have worked effectively for the majority of these first two tournaments.
“Once we’ve achieved all this, we can look forward to getting back on the park in Wellington in late January.”
Cape Town Sevens Results – Day Two:
South Africa 33-0 Wales (Cup quarter-final)
Wales 14-19 Kenya (Fifth place semi-final)
Click here for all the latest videos and information from the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.