Lucky Sithole
Isisho esithi, “Ubuqotho ukwenza into efanele kungekho muntu obukayo,” sesiphenduke amazwi akhuthazayo. Kodwa uma kushiwo umqeqeshi we-Blitzboks uNeil Powell, kukhomba indlela yokuphila.
Izimpelasonto ezimbili ezedlule ziphinde zakhombisa ukuthi ukwenza kahle emqhudelwaneni we-sevens kuwuhambo lokuxazulula izinkinga kanye nokuzinikela njengakunoma yimuphi omunye umdlalo. Indlela i-Blitzboks edlala ngayo ikhombisa ukuthi yenza izinto eziningi ngendlela efanele uma kungekho muntu oyibhekile.
Ukuze iwine owamanqamu womqhudelwano we-sevens e-Seville, i-Blitzboks idlale imidlalo emihlanu ezinsukwini ezimbili. Yize lokhu bekungewona umqhudelwano i-Blitzboks ewudlale kahle isikhathi eside, ayikaze ihlulwe ngisho nakowodwa umdlalo. Empeleni sekungumdlalo wabo wesi-34 bengahlulwa kulandelana.
Okufike kwahlaba umxhwele ukuqhubekela phambili kowamanqamu abawuwine ngo-33-7 bedlala ne-Australia. Kodwa okuhlaba umxhwele kakhulu kunalokho ukuthi amaphuzu angu-26 kulawa abawawinile aqhamuke ngesiwombe sesibili, ngesikhathi iqhulula ama-try amane nama-conversion amathathu.
Yize kulungile ukugubha ukuwina kwabo lo mqhudelwano okwesine kulandelana, kuhle futhi ukukhumbula ukuthi ubhubhane lwe-Covid-19 lube nomthelela omkhulu kwezemidlalo jikelele, ikakhulukazi kwi-Blitzboks.
Abalandeli be-sevens abadingi ukukhunjuzwa ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika yaphuma kanjani kuma-Olimpiki ngoNtulikazi ngonyaka odlule emdlalweni owaba yinhlekelele owandulela owamanqamu ibhekene ne-Argentina. Abase-Argentina ababedlala ngabadlali abahlanu, bahlula i-Blitzboks eyayithukile, baphuca iNingizimu Afrika indondo yama-Olimpiki kanye nendondo yegolide.
UNeil Powell wayengekho emdlalweni. Ngesikhathi iqembu limdinga kakhulu wayezihlalela egumbini lakhe lasehhotela ngoba wayehaqwe yileli gciwane. Ingabe umehluko ubuzoba khona yini ukube ubeseduze nenkundla ukuzokweseka abafana?
Ngabe senza okungalungile ukuziba indaba yokungabibikho kwe-Fiji, i-All Blacks ne-Samoa engabalulekile kangako.
La maqembu amathathu abengaqhudelani ngenxa ye-Covid futhi umlando wakamuva we-sevens kungenzeka ukuthi ubukeke uhluke kakhulu.
Kodwa-ke, umbuzo othi “bekuzokwenzakani ukube” uhlezi uhamba phambili engxoxweni kodwa hhayi ebhodini lamaphuzu.
“Bekuzokwenzakalani ukube” uNovak Djokovic ubevunyelwe ukudlala kwiu-Australian Open, umbuzo ongasoze waphendulwa.
Ibhodi lamaphuzu libonisa ukuthi uNadal noMedvedev badlale umdlalo omangalisayo kunayo yonke kowamanqamu we-Grand Slam.
Umqhudelwano we-sevens uzophinde udlalwe futhi ngoMbasa e-Singapore. Yinto enhle leyo. Leli zinga lokushuba alikwazi ukuqhubeka isonto nesonto.
Kunemfihlo eyodwa edalulwe unomphela phakathi nomqhudelwano e-Seville: Ubezothe kangakanani uNeil Powell uma ehlezi eduze nenkundla ngesikhathi somdlalo wamanqamu?
“Ngingahle ngibukeke ngizothile, kodwa ngaphakathi kimi kunomlilo ovuthayo,” evuma ngokumamatheka.
Umthombo wesithombe: @Blitzboks