Rugby
Horne pays tribute to team
2009-11-03 16:35
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Frankie Horne (Gallo Images)
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Johannesburg - Springbok Sevens forward Frankie Horne, who received the SA Sevens Player of the year award on Monday night, says the award is for the whole team.
In a year where the Springboks were the outstanding side in the IRB Sevens World Series, the award for a forward in a game of running where the fleet-footed smaller guys usually shine, is an outstanding achievement.
"We're a very close group who play for our country, our coach and one another. Without these other players and the coach the award would not have been possible," the big man said.
A former Boland Cavaliers provincial player, Horne says he now prefers Sevens and that is why he is not involved with a provincial side, where his speed, size and skills would make him and outstanding loose forward.
"He's also contracted to Sevens, so he can't," joked Sevens Bok coach Paul Treu when asked about a move to provincial fifteens rugby by Horne, "although I would of course not stand in a player's way. However, there is very little time in the calendar to play both codes."
Horne left with the SA Vipers side for Singapore on Tuesday. They will defend the title they've won the past two years and could well come up against the SA Universities side in the final.
"It is not the national side," Treu emphasised. "I'm giving some of the other guys in the squad a run and will use the opportunity to see how they go in tight situations." The Springbok squad for the first tournament in the IRB Sevens World series in Dubai on December 4 and 5 will assemble for preparation next week and will leave for Dubai on November 25 to give them enough time to acclimatise.
The Boks are the defending IRB World Sevens Series champions.
A second-string SA squad will leave the previous day for a tournament in Sri Lanka as Treu continues to build up a nucleus of experienced players.