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Blitzbokke hunting Aplon

Cape Town - Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu wants to obtain the services of Gio Aplon for the upcoming IRB Sevens World Series.

This comes after it was confirmed on Monday that Blitzbokke play-maker Cecil Afrika suffered a broken cheekbone.

Afrika will be out for between six and eight weeks after he suffered the injury during an international pre-season training match against Argentina in Stellenbosch on Friday. He underwent surgery over the weekend and could be ruled out of the opening tournaments of the new series.

The new Sevens World Series kicks off on November 25-26 on the Australian Gold Coast, followed by Dubai (December 2-3) and then Port Elizabeth a week later.

And Treu feels Aplon - currently with the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand - is just the right man to replace the injured Afrika.

"I'll have to ask (Stormers coaches) Rassie (Erasmus) and Allister (Coetzee) if they will release him to us. He probably won't be so tired after the World Cup tournament," Treu told Die Burger newspaper.

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