The Springbok Sevens staff for the opening tournament of the 2022/23 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series has a well-recognized look to it, with a number of gamers who missed out on the Rugby World Cup Sevens included for the journey to Hong Kong.
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After not that includes for just a few years because of the Covid pandemic, the Hong Kong Sevens is again on the calendar within the uncommon place as season-opener, the place the brand new Blitzbok head coach, Sandile Ngcobo, and his assistant Philip Snyman can be making their debuts with whistles and clipboards for South Africa.
Recalled to the squad after lacking out on enjoying within the RWC Sevens are Ryan Oosthuizen, Branco du Preez, Dewald Human, Darren Adonis and Shilton van Wyk, whereas Cecil Afrika, Angelo Davids, Muller du Plessis and Shaun Williams miss out for varied causes after that includes within the international showpiece in Cape Town final month.
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Du Preez, the most-capped and second most prolific factors’ scorer in Blitzbok historical past, is again within the squad after final showing in Los Angeles in August, whereas Human returns after he has recovered from an damage which meant he couldn’t be thought-about for RWC Sevens.
Oosthuizen was named within the wider RWC Sevens group however missed out on the ultimate 12-player squad, whereas Adonis and Van Wyk are additionally again within the combine after additionally final enjoying in Los Angeles.
Ngcobo had a possibility to work with Du Preez, Human, Oosthuizen, Adonis and Van Wyk in any case 5 of them have been just lately in motion when Ngcobo took his wider squad to the Kanonkop Sevens in Middelburg, Mpumalanga final month.
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Afrika has gone again into retirement after being recalled for RWC Sevens responsibility on account of a scarcity of choices at flyhalf, Angelo Davids is with the DHL Stormers, whereas Du Plessis and Williams are each unavailable on account of damage, becoming a member of Zain Davids, Justin Geduld, Lubabalo Dobela and Tiaan Pretorius on the sidelines.
Ngcobo mentioned he was experiencing a combination of pleasure and nerves previous to the Blitzboks’ departure to Hong Kong, the place the Blitzboks will intention to begin the brand new season on a excessive word.
“It’s good to be able to travel to Hong Kong with a settled squad and to have some players back who missed out in Cape Town, but what we are looking forward to the most, is playing again at the highest level, and to go out and compete to our full potential,” mentioned Ngcobo.
“It doesn’t matter the place we go, we simply wish to exit and play to one of the best of our skill, particularly as the previous couple of years have been tough with all of the interruptions.
“However, as soon as we returned to some type of normality earlier this yr, it was nice to see the spirit of sevens rugby rise once more, and as a bunch we will’t wait to get the ball rolling for the brand new season.
“A new season brings with it new possibilities and new challenges, and the players in our training squad are raring to go.”
The Hong Kong Sevens will characteristic the 15 core groups on the World Series plus Asian champions and the host nation.
Blitzboks drawn in Pool B in Hong Kong
South Africa, France, and a mixed Great Britain squad are joined by collection debutants Uruguay in Pool B.
“The French can beat anyone on any day, and the Great Britain team will be a bit of an unknown factor, while we know that the South American sides are never easy to play against,” mentioned Ngcobo.
Hong Kong have been drawn in Pool A with defending World Series champions Australia, New Zealand and Samoa.
Defending Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Fiji – out to say their sixth straight win in Hong Kong – prime Pool C, the place they may face the USA, Spain and Japan.
Argentina and Ireland, who certified for the World Series on their final outing in Hong Kong in 2019, are joined by Kenya and Canada in Pool D.
Du Preez will play his tenth Hong Kong match, essentially the most for any South African participant. He can even lengthen his Blitzbok profession match report to 83 on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Oosthuizen (2016), Selvyn Davids (2018) and Mfundo Ndlovu (2018) made their Blitzbok debuts on the World Series in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Sevens is the primary of 11 scheduled stops within the 2022/23 season and can happen from 3-6 November.
Blitzbok squad (with World Series stats)
Sako Makata – 16 tournaments, 60 factors (12 tries)
Ryan Oosthuizen – 32 tournaments, 160 factors (32 tries)
Impi Visser – 21 tournaments, 115 factors (23 tries)
JC Pretorius – 20 tournaments, 225 factors (45 tries)
Branco du Preez – 82 tournaments, 1 434 factors (100 tries, 464 conversions, 1 penalty objective, 1 drop objective)
Selvyn Davids – 27 tournaments, 564 factors (69 tries, 108 conversions, 1 penalty objective)
Ronald Brown – 8 tournaments, 285 factors (27 tries, 75 conversions)
Dewald Human – 10 tournaments, 211 factors (17 tries, 63 conversions)
Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain) – 40 tournaments, 670 factors (134 tries)
Mfundo Ndhlovu – 10 tournaments, 60 factors (12 tries).
Christie Grobbelaar – 8 tournaments, 70 factors (14 tries)
Shilton van Wyk – 4 tournaments, 30 factors (6 tries)
Darren Adonis – 7 tournaments, 54 factors (10 tries, 2 conversions)
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