The Springbok Sevens team have arrived in Hong Kong and are looking forward to getting back on the field and fixing what went wrong in North America a month ago, but also to see three new players join the Blitzbok family at arguably the most prestigious event on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
SA Rugby President Mr Mark Alexander congratulated the Springbok Sevens team for scooping the Team of Year Award at the 16th annual SA Sports Awards in Sun City on Saturday.
Springbok Sevens coach Sandile Ngcobo included three uncapped players in the Blitzbok squad for the next two tournaments on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with Donovan Don, Ethan James and Sebastiaan Jobb in line for their first taste of international sevens rugby in the next fortnight.
The Springbok Sevens team will leave no stone unturned to get back to winning ways when they return to South Africa on Tuesday after a disappointing North American leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
The Springbok Sevens team came back from 19 points down to draw against France (19-19) and then scored six tries against Japan (40-12) to finish Day One of the HSBC Canada Sevens on a satisfying note at BC Place in Vancouver on Friday (Canadian time).
The Springbok Sevens team arrived from the USA in a cold Vancouver this week battered and bruised, having lost four of five matches at the HSBC LA Sevens last weekend, while Jaiden Baron, Masande Mtshali and Travis Ismaiel returned home after picking up injuries last weekend that ruled them out of action.
Those who watched last weekend's HSBC LA Sevens would have been excused if they wondered which masked player the Springbok Sevens team had on the field, but they would probably have been more puzzled on what Blitzbok team was on display as one the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series premier participants stumbled and slid through a weekend of disappointing results.
SA Rugby Sevens ‘A’ squad members Noegh Hayward and Gurshwin Wehr will join the Springbok Sevens team in Vancouver on Wednesday and will make their HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series debuts at BC Place on the weekend at HSBC Canada Sevens.
The Springbok Sevens squad remained amongst the top four contenders of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at the halfway stage of the competition, but failed to fire on the second day of the HSBC LA Sevens at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
The Springbok Sevens will face Fiji in the Cup quarter-finals of the HSBC LA Sevens later on Sunday after an eventful first day of sevens at Dignity Health Stadium in Los Angeles.