Boom to be unleashed in India
SA Sevens coach Paul Treu has, once again, looked to the Varsity Cup to bolster the ‘Blitz Bokke’s resources – this time for the Commonwealth Games, which takes place in India in October.
Shimlas star Boom Prinsloo – the 2010 Varsity Cup Player of the Tournament – will travel with the squad to India, along with UJ speedster Bernardo Botha.
Prinsloo – who had an outstanding 2010 VC campaign, as his team qualified for a first-ever semifinal – and Botha – a try-scorer of note – are amongst four new players in the 12-man SA squad, with Sharks players Lubabalo Mtembu and Sibusiso Sithole completing the quartet.
Seven SARU contracted players were named in the final squad of twelve, with former UCT Varsity Cup star Kyle Brown – an experienced member of the Paul Treu-coached unit – named to captain this squad.
“This is a huge honour for me and I will do my utmost to lead the squad to glory in India,” Brown told in-site.co.za.
“We’ve got a talented bunch of players in this group… I’m very lucky to be captain, but – at the same – I am even luckier to have plenty of experienced players to lean on when the going gets tough.”
South Africa, bronze medalists in 2002, will head up Pool B in India.
Current IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Wales, a resurgent Tonga team and the host nation, India, have been included in this tough group.
The Springbok Sevens squad (for the Commonwealth Games): Boom Prinsloo (Free State), Chris Dry (SARU contracted), Kyle Brown (SARU – captain), Chase Minnaar (SARU), Lubabalo Mtembu (Sharks), Cecil Africa (SARU), Renfred Dazel (SARU), Branco du Preez (Blue Bulls), Ryno Benjamin (SARU), Sibusiso Sithole (Sharks), Bernardo Botha (Golden Lions), MJ Mentz (SARU).
