A little piece of home ... in Asia.
| HOWZIT HONG KONG ! |
Howzit !
Springbok Sevens Team for Hong Kong Sevens 2008 Home
Changes to Bok Sevens Squad
Cape Town - Injuries have forced Springbok Sevens rugby coach Paul Treu, to make two
changes to his squad who will participate in the next two tournaments of the IRB World
Sevens Series in Hong Kong and Adelaide.
Thobela Mdaka and Marius Schoeman will not be travelling to the Far East and Australia
and Treu has called up two exciting young prospects in Wilton Pietersen and Robert Ebersohn.
The Hong Kong tournament is the showpiece of the series and takes place over three days from
March 28-30, while the Adelaide leg takes place a week later.
The South African team is currently second on the IRB Series log behind runaway leaders,
New Zealand, and ranked third for the Hong Kong tournament.
The South African team leaves on Sunday morning for Hong Kong. Meanwhile, national team sponsors Sasol, has sent a message of support to the
Springbok Sevens team ahead of their departure.
"The Springbok Sevens team continue to do our country proud with solid performances in the first four legs of the IRB World Sevens Series," said Lean
Strauss, Sasol's group general manager.
"The next fortnight is another challenging time for this young squad, but they could not have asked for a bigger stage than the annual Hong Kong Sevens
to show everyone just how much progress they have made in a short space of time.
"Of course, the team came very close to notching up a tournament victory in San Diego, but Hong Kong would be the perfect time for this exciting squad
to prove their capabilities," added Strauss
The squad: Mpho Mbiyozo, Robert Ebersohn, Frankie Horne, Vuyo Zangqa, Neil Powell, Schalk van der Merwe, Renfred Dazel, Jonathan Mokuena,
Mzwandile Stick, Fabian Juries, MJ Mentz, Wilton Pietersen.
Cape Town - Injuries have forced Springbok Sevens rugby coach Paul Treu, to make two
changes to his squad who will participate in the next two tournaments of the IRB World
Sevens Series in Hong Kong and Adelaide.
Thobela Mdaka and Marius Schoeman will not be travelling to the Far East and Australia
and Treu has called up two exciting young prospects in Wilton Pietersen and Robert Ebersohn.
The Hong Kong tournament is the showpiece of the series and takes place over three days from
March 28-30, while the Adelaide leg takes place a week later.
The South African team is currently second on the IRB Series log behind runaway leaders,
New Zealand, and ranked third for the Hong Kong tournament.
The South African team leaves on Sunday morning for Hong Kong. Meanwhile, national team sponsors Sasol, has sent a message of support to the
Springbok Sevens team ahead of their departure.
"The Springbok Sevens team continue to do our country proud with solid performances in the first four legs of the IRB World Sevens Series," said Lean
Strauss, Sasol's group general manager.
"The next fortnight is another challenging time for this young squad, but they could not have asked for a bigger stage than the annual Hong Kong Sevens
to show everyone just how much progress they have made in a short space of time.
"Of course, the team came very close to notching up a tournament victory in San Diego, but Hong Kong would be the perfect time for this exciting squad
to prove their capabilities," added Strauss
The squad: Mpho Mbiyozo, Robert Ebersohn, Frankie Horne, Vuyo Zangqa, Neil Powell, Schalk van der Merwe, Renfred Dazel, Jonathan Mokuena,
Mzwandile Stick, Fabian Juries, MJ Mentz, Wilton Pietersen.
The Springbok Sevens Team announcement
I would have liked to have written something "first-hand" regarding the Team Announcement of the South African Sevens Squad for next week's
Tournament, but I am not privy to the media inner-cirles of SARU HQ in Newlands (Cape Town). Also, all my e-mails to Paul Treu have sadly gone amiss
or just unanswered, so I'm afraid we have to make do with News24's report on the Team Announcement (below)
Ironically I did attend the Team Announcement for both the Hong Kong Men's & Women's Sevens Squads at the snazzy UBS Head Office on Tuesday.
Read more here. Photo's were taken right ON the UBS trading floor, and if you consider how security-conscious those financial folks are, you'd appreciate
the importance UBS attaches to their partnership with HK Rugby!
I would have liked to have written something "first-hand" regarding the Team Announcement of the South African Sevens Squad for next week's
Tournament, but I am not privy to the media inner-cirles of SARU HQ in Newlands (Cape Town). Also, all my e-mails to Paul Treu have sadly gone amiss
or just unanswered, so I'm afraid we have to make do with News24's report on the Team Announcement (below)
Ironically I did attend the Team Announcement for both the Hong Kong Men's & Women's Sevens Squads at the snazzy UBS Head Office on Tuesday.
Read more here. Photo's were taken right ON the UBS trading floor, and if you consider how security-conscious those financial folks are, you'd appreciate
the importance UBS attaches to their partnership with HK Rugby!
US Leg of the IRB Sevens Circuit
Paul Treu's boys fought gallantly to reach the Cup Final of the US leg of the IRB Sevens Circuit played in San Diego
on February 10, 2008. On this occasion, the Kiwis triumphed by 27 points 12. Given the Boks' favourable Pool draw
and youthful squad, something tells me the tables may be turned on NZ in HK this time around!
To watch some of the San Diego action, click on the Supersport Logo to view a short video clip.
Paul Treu's boys fought gallantly to reach the Cup Final of the US leg of the IRB Sevens Circuit played in San Diego
on February 10, 2008. On this occasion, the Kiwis triumphed by 27 points 12. Given the Boks' favourable Pool draw
and youthful squad, something tells me the tables may be turned on NZ in HK this time around!
To watch some of the San Diego action, click on the Supersport Logo to view a short video clip.
The Springbok Sevens Squad for Hong Kong Sevens 2008 (Click on Pic for a profile)
Fabian Juries
Frankie Horn
Jonathan Mokuena
MJ Mentz
Mpho Mbiyozo
Mzwandile Stick
Neil Powell (Captain)
Renfred Dazel
Robert Ebersohn
Schalk VD Merwe
Vuyo Zangqa
Wilton Pietersen
Coach: Paul Treu
