Boks to seek vengeance on home soil
The Springbok Sevens will get an early chance to make amends for Saturday’s last-minute loss to Australia in the Dubai Plate Final when the two teams clash again on Friday in Port Elizabeth.
The Blitzbokke appeared to be home and dry in the Plate Final on Saturday but had their hearts broken by a late long-range effort from Lewis Holland so they will be keen to get their own back in the pool stage of the eagerly awaited Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens tournament this weekend.
Hosts South Africa were drawn in Pool C with Australia, Canada and Kenya for round three of the Sevens World Series which takes place on 9-10 December in the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
South Africa got the better of Australia on two occasions at the Gold Coast a fortnight ago and local supporters will be hoping that Cecil Afrika and his teammates will quickly bounce back to form.
As Dubai champions, England top pool A in South Africa and face a tough trio of matches against Dubai Cup semifinalists Argentina, Bowl runners-up USA and Shield winners Samoa.
France reached a first World Series Cup Final since 2005 in Dubai. As Cup runners-up, they top Pool B in Port Elizabeth and will play pool matches on day one against reigning World Series and SA Sevens champions New Zealand, Dubai Bowl winners Scotland and African qualifiers Morocco.
Fiji head Pool D and will play Wales, Portugal and the remaining African side in the draw, Zimbabwe.
Following their win in Dubai, England climbed to second in the Sevens World Series standings, seven points behind Gold Coast champions Fiji.
The World Series Standings after Round Two:
1. Fiji 39 points
2. England 32
3. South Africa 29
3. New Zealand 29
3. France 29
6. Australia 28
7. Argentina 23
7. Wales 23
The pool draw:
Pool A
England
Argentina
USA
Samoa
Pool B
France
New Zealand
Scotland
Morocco
Pool C
South Africa
Australia
Canada
Kenya
Pool D
Fiji
Wales
Portugal
Zimbabwe
