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Champions in the own-backyard!
Needless to say, the Springboks had a dream start to their IRB Sevens World Series campaign, winning not only
the first two tournaments, but notching up their first-ever win on home-soil at the George Sevens! They now take a
short Festive Season break but will re-group early in the new year to start preparing for the next tournament in the
IRB Sevens World Series... Wellington, New Zealand.
Soon after he safely saw the Bokke off on their well-deserved holiday, I managed to catch up with an exhausted but
elated Ashwin Roelfse and asked him the following questions:
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What a dream-start to the IRB
Sevens World Series!
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1. How do the players relax (other than outings)?
The players were relaxing in their rooms playing Playstation games etc. Between training and gym sessions they
still had team meetings etc. so there were not a lot of time to go out on their own. They had the autograph signing
session at the Garden Route Mall and went to watch the new James Bond movie as well. Other than that they were
just hanging around the hotel.
2. Do they also receive laptops/iPods from sponsors like the 15's?
No, not that i am aware of. They all have laptops and iPods though but I guess they bought it themselves...I think
they got a sponsor for crocs when they were in Dubai (unconfirmed though)
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3. Are they allowed to have friends/family visit them?
Yes, there were restrictions on visitors. It's just that there were not a lot of time for anything else but rugby. I recall Paul saying that they did less than in
Dubai in terms of training etc, but they had less time to do the things they wanted to do.
4. Judging from the Dubai pictures, Mpho seemed to be quite the funny-man! Who was 'the joker' in the Team at the George Sevens?
According to me all of them are jokers...a great buch of guys who shared a special bond probably forged during the win in Dubai. One could feel that
something special was about to happen but obviously that's easy to say after the fact! Impi (Mpho Mbiyozo) might not have been the only one hey...!
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About being a Liaison Officer...
1. How does one become/how did you get your very first LO job?
The SWD rugby Union invites applications for LO's during first week of October. A panel then decides who gets selected. A total of 32 LO's are then
appointed (2 per team) with an additional 5 on standby if any gets fired (it can happen!). I got my first stint in 2003 as a LO to the New Zealand team. I
was with them in 2004 as well. Since 2005 I've been the LO to Team SA (on request from Paul Treu).
2. Were all the George LO's from the area?
No, The SWD rugby Union is a big wide area which stretch from Bonnievale in the west to Plettenberg Bay in the east and Beaufort west in the north. For
consideration you'd have to be involved in rugby in the area. I am involved as a coach at my club at Groot Brakrivier RFC. There are guys who are
teachers involved at school rugby. Everyone with different occupations outside of rugby.
3. Is it a paid (financial) position?
We receive compensation yes but I would not call it a "paid financial position"
4. What is the best thing about being a LO?
For me...getting the opportunity to work with international rugby teams. Most of the knowledge gathered I can take back to my club and hopefully helping
other players achieve the same kind of success. I would do it full time so if there is any rugby union who needs a professional LO...they can contact me!!!
5. What was the highlight for you at George 2008
Team SA winning!!!! The amount of work put in by the team was enormous..but if you look at previous years there has been an improvement, so winning
this year was a culmination of the efforts of those previous years...so whats next you ask? The sky is the limit...why would you want to go around the wall
if you can break it down and go through it?
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