It was another disappointing weekend for the Blitzboks as they finished ninth in Vancouver.

Winners of the season-opening Dubai Sevens the Blitzboks have struggled subsequently in Cape Town, Perth and now Vancouver with a lack of consistency seemingly their biggest problem.

A pool win over New Zealand was a great result but subsequent losses against Great Britain and Ireland meant they finished bottom of their pool. And while they ended with a solid win over Australia it was their inability to consistently play at the same level that was clearly their undoing.

Speaking to the media after the event coach Sandile Ngcobo said: “We finished the best way possible.

“We asked the players to leave a statement and that is what they did. This was a good win and that reflects more on our abilities.

“We need to be more consistent, that is a fact — we cannot arrive at games not mentally ready.

“The positive finish in our last two games, beating Canada and Australia, showed what can be done.

“We know we can put any team away; we have the individuals and the culture to put it together, but we are not consistent in doing that,” he said.

The Sevens Series now moves to Los Angeles where the Blitzboks will be hoping to find form and dominate again as they did in Dubai.