Cape Town - Five players who missed out on selection for the Rugby World Cup Sevens have been included in the Blitzboks squad for the opening tournament of the 2023 World Sevens Series in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Sevens is back on the Series calendar in the unusual position as season-opener (as opposed to Dubai), where the new Blitzbok head coach, Sandile Ngcobo, and his assistant Philip Snyman will be making their debuts.
Ryan Oosthuizen, Branco du Preez, Dewald Human, Darren Adonis and Shilton van Wyk have all been recalled, while Cecil Afrika, Angelo Davids, Muller du Plessis and Shaun Williams will miss out on the opener.
Du Preez, the most-capped Blitzbok history, is back in the mix after last appearing on the circuit in Los Angeles in August.
Human returns after recovering from the injury that kept him out of the World Cup, and Adonis and Van Wyk are also back after also last playing in Los Angeles. Oosthuizen, meanwhile, will run out for South Africa at the Cathay Pacific event after making the wider squad for the World Cup but missing out on the final selection.
Afrika has gone back into retirement after being recalled for RWC Sevens, Angelo Davids is back with the Stormers for the United Rugby Championship, while Du Plessis and Williams joined Zain Davids, Justin Geduld, Lubabalo Dobela and Tiaan Pretorius on the sidelines due to injury.
Ngcobo said he's looking forward to all the opportunities and challenges the new season will bring.
“It’s good to be able to travel to Hong Kong with a settled squad and to have some players back who missed out in Cape Town, but what we are looking forward to the most, is playing again at the highest level, and to go out and compete to our full potential,” said Ngcobo.
“It doesn't matter where we go, we just want to go out and play to the best of our ability, especially as the last few years have been difficult with all the interruptions.
“However, once we returned to some form of normality earlier this year, it was great to see the spirit of sevens rugby rise again, and as a group we can’t wait to get the ball rolling for the new season.
“A new season brings with it new possibilities and new challenges, and the players in our training squad are raring to go.”
South Africa, France, and a combined Great Britain squad are joined by series debutants Uruguay in Pool B.
“The French can beat anyone on any day, and the Great Britain team will be a bit of an unknown factor, while we know that the South American sides are never easy to play against,” said Ngcobo.
Blitzboks squad for the Hong Kong Sevens: Sako Makata, Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser, JC Pretorius, Branco du Preez, Selvyn Davids, Ronald Brown, Dewald Human, Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain), Mfundo Ndhlovu, Christie Grobbelaar, Shilton van Wyk, Darren Adonis.
IOL Sport