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.
The pressure on the South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises will strike a new level this weekend as the competition hits the fourth-last pool round and the race for playoff spots moves up a few notches.
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 Women's Sevens squad showed good progress and understanding of what is needed to be successful in this year's World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, and team coach Renfred Dazel said he was very happy with their effort.
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 Emirates Lions and Cell C Sharks enjoyed some mixed fortunes in their rescheduled sixth round Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixtures on Saturday, with the Johannesburg side ending a five-match losing run against Glasgow Warriors, while the Durbanites suffered a disappointing defeat against Ulster.
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.
The Springbok Women’s Sevens programme for the 2023 season finally kicks into gear at the Hermanus Women’s 7s tournament on Saturday and Sunday, and for coach Renfred Dazel, it will provide an ideal start to get some much-needed game time for his players.
Impi Visser believes the Springbok Sevens team are good enough to come out on top at the end of the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and according to the Blitzbok forward, everyone in the squad are willing and able to give it their all at the HSBC LA Sevens, the sixth of 11 tournaments in the series, this weekend.