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Huge blow for BlitzBoks ahead of European tour

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The BlitzBoks have been forced into a late change ahead of the HSBC SVNS World Championship tournaments in Spain and France.

Ronald Brown will not travel with the BlitzBoks squad, while Ricardo Duarttee has been called up to the travelling group that departed for Europe on Sunday.

Duarttee was a member of the victorious squads in Cape Town and Perth, where he kicked the match-winning conversion against Fiji, as the Blitzboks romped home in the HSBC SVNS Series.

For Duarttee the late inclusion means that he will also be involved in the South African charge to the HSBC SVNS World Championship crown in Valladolid and Bordeaux. The Blitzboks won the first of three events in Hong Kong last month and are leading the standings that will determine the overall winner early next month.

*READ: BlitzBok coach Snyman makes ‘tough’ squad calls for World Championship

His recall felt like a prayer being heard, Duarttee said: “The highs of Perth aside, I was not in a good place then and had to take some personal responsibility to improve on some of the decisions I was making at the time.

“It took a while, but I managed to do that. I had some self-reflection and my change in attitude was for the better. I am very grateful for this belated opportunity, and I hope I can deliver the performances and role in the team that is expected of me,” he added.

Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman earlier recalled Gino Cupido and Dewald Human to the travelling squad.

Meanwhile, if has been confirmed that a number of Blitzbok squad members not selected for this trip will be playing in invitational tournaments in Europe in the next two weekends.

Grant de Jager, Siya Ndlozi and Rowan Malgas will play for Shogun in the Amsterdam Sevens on June 6-7, while Juan Smith and Renaldo Young will be in action for the Titians at the same event. Malgas, Smith and Young will also play for the Titans in the EAAST invitational tournament in Haguenau, France next weekend.

South Africa’s Pool A fixtures:

Friday, May 29: (SA times)

12.34: Great Britain
17.08: Kenya

Saturday, May 30

13.23: Australia

BlitzBoks squad: Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser (captain), Zain Davids, Ricardo Duarttee, Selvyn Davids, Dewald Human, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Quewin Nortje, Sebastiaan Jobb, David Brits, Tristan Leyds, Jayden Nell, Gino Cupido

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