Bokke ready to Blitz their rivals
South Africa, who have been drawn against hosts Australia in the opening round of the IRB Sevens World Series at the Gold Coast later this month, are determined to make a fast start to the 2011/12 season.
The Blitzbokke, runners-up to New Zealand in the last World Series, were also drawn on Monday to face the United States and Japan in Pool B in the opening event of the series.
The Australia Sevens tournament, the first of nine legs in the 2011/12 series, will be played on November 25 and 26.
Coach Paul Treu is determined that his team improve on the slow start of their previous campaign – when they were relegated to the Plate section in the first three rounds, then finally broke their drought and won in the United States in round four.
They were back in the Plate section for the next round, in Hong Kong, before finally hitting their straps – being runners-up in Adelaide, while winning the two legs in London and Edinburgh.
Bok coach Paul Treu is adamant his team can get off to a winning start on the Gold Coast and ensure they do not allow defending champions New Zealand to race off into an early lead as they did last season.
Speaking ahead of the opening event Treu said when his players play to their potential, “anything is possible”.
“We started training in September with most of our core players,” Treu said.
While the final squad for the opening rounds is yet to be announced, the South African side is likely to include the IRB Sevens Player of the Year, Cecil Afrika (who will be returning after a period out of action with a broken cheekbone) and star of the side in South Africa’s Series victory in the 2008/09 series, Robert Ebersohn.
“I don’t think there will be too many new faces,” Treu said.
“We started with six new players last year and our inexperience cost us big time in the quarterfinal against Fiji. But hopefully our young players have grown since then,” Treu added.
Treu said he is looking forward to the tough task of competing on three consecutive weekends – a refreshing break from previous seasons when there was down time after two events.
It starts on the Gold Coast in Australia, then head to Dubai, before the third leg takes place at another new venue – Port Elizabeth in South Africa.
“All the teams will be in the same boat and it will be a massive challenge to keep the guys at their peak for three tournaments in a row,” he said.
“Starting on the Gold Coast provides us with another opportunity to test ourselves in a new environment and we look forward to the challenge.”
