Blitzboks suffer late blow on eve of Cape Town Sevens
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok Sevens coach Sandile Ngcobo has included Darren Adonis in the Blitzboks’ playmaking role for this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens at Cape Town Stadium.
Adonis’ inclusion is the only change to the side that clinched the Dubai Sevens title last weekend as he replaces Dewald Human, who picked up a groin injury at The Sevens Stadium, which ruled him out of Cape Town, the third stop on the 2023 World Rugby Sevens Series.
Adonis is no stranger to the squad and played in the opening tournament of the series in Hong Kong last month; he will be involved in his ninth World Series tournament but will make his first appearance in the Mother City.
The Southern Cape-raised player has won the Currie Cup with the Cheetahs before he moved to sevens rugby and since joining the Blitzboks, Adonis has won gold medals in Vancouver, Edmonton, Malaga and Seville.
Ngcobo said the inclusion of Adonis will not affect the momentum picked up in Dubai.
Ngcobo has made one change to the #Blitzboks team for the #CapeTown7s this weekend – more here: https://t.co/eRmMZmUlg0#BlitzIgnite @WeBuyCars_SA @McDonalds_SA pic.twitter.com/hYXV9OeGUg
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) December 7, 2022
“Darren has trained with us before we left for Dubai and then played there as well as part of the Samurai [SA Sevens ‘A’ team] in the invitational tournament. I managed to watch those games and he did very well, so I am happy to have him,” the coach explained.
“He covers flyhalf and centre and he kicks with both feet, so he brings a versatility element to the squad as well. Darren is experienced enough to slot in immediately and has done very well.”
Ngcobo said the focus for the team will remain inward, with a clear understanding of how they want to express themselves at the Cape Town Stadium.
“We have two identities – one on the field and one off the field,” he said.
“In the latter, it is about being a brotherhood, caring for each other and driving a shared culture. We are nailing that one, so that drives us forward very well.
“The on-field identity is defence, we do not want people to score tries against us and if they do, they need to work really hard for it. We want to be dominant in defence and that attitude will not change this weekend.”
South Africa Sevens squad: Impi Visser, Zain Davids, Ryan Oosthuizen, James Murphy, JC Pretorius, Masande Mtshali, Branco du Preez, Ricardo Duarrtee, Darren Adonis, Muller Du Plessis, Shilton van Wyk, Dalvon Blood, Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain).
