There were some familiar faces at the tournament hotel and the flight to Harare was almost like travelling to Johannesburg, but the Springbok Sevens team's journey to Zimbabwe – for the Rugby Africa Olympic Games qualifiers on Saturday and Sunday – is one they have not yet travelled before and where they will expect the unexpected.
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Former Springbok wings Rosko Specman and Travis Ismaiel were both named in an experienced and multi-skilled Springbok Sevens squad that will travel to Harare on Thursday for the Rugby Africa Olympic Games qualifiers.
Two things that immediately struck Rosko Specman as he drove into the Springbok Sevens team’s base at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport on Wednesday morning, were ‘hard work’ and ‘no comfort zones’.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander congratulated Springbok Sevens playmaker Ricardo Duarttee, who was named as the Rookie of the Year at the annual HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series awards in London on Sunday evening.
The Springbok Sevens team shrugged off the disappointment of not making the quarter-finals at the HSBC London Sevens with two big wins on Sunday to claim ninth spot at Twickenham as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series drew to a close.
Their quest for automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games may be out of their hands, but the Springbok Sevens team will leave no stone unturned at the HSBC London Sevens this weekend as they give it one final push to book their tickets to Paris next year.
The Springbok Sevens team put in a huge effort at the HSBC France Sevens this weekend, but sadly the results did not show that, so from the perspective of Blitzbok head coach Sandile Ngcobo, it was not all doom and gloom.
Springbok Sevens captain Siviwe Soyizwapi said the fact that he will run out in his 50th HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Toulouse on Friday is a special personal milestone, but his job for the Blitzboks between the four lines will come first.
Springbok Sevens captain Siviwe Soyizwapi will make his 50th HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series appearance for the Blitzboks in Toulouse next weekend after being named in a squad that feature five players who return to action after missing the tournaments in Hong Kong and Singapore.