Sevens
Blitzbokke sweat on Afrika
2012-12-03 16:57
Cecil Afrika (Gallo Images)
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Cape Town - Springbok Sevens playmaker Cecil Afrika is one of three
players who joined the squad on Monday for the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens
this weekend in Port Elizabeth.
Africa’s inclusion in the final squad is however subject to
a fitness test later in the week, to ascertain the readiness of his troublesome
knee which prevented him from travelling to Dubai.
Bernado Botha and Cheslin Kolbe are the other two additions
to the squad after Kyle Brown, the Blitzbokke captain, was ruled out of action
because of a broken ankle.
Coach Paul Treu will name his final 12-man squad on Thursday
afternoon at a media conference at the Garden Court Kings’ Beach hotel in the
Friendly City.
South Africa had their first outdoor activity on Monday
afternoon since arriving in Port Elizabeth from Dubai on Sunday evening.
Samoa went for a recovery swim at the nearby Summerstrand
beach while New Zealand and some other teams did some light gym training.
South Africa opted for a walk through at the Nelson Mandela
Bay Stadium, the venue for round three of the Sevens World Series on
Saturday and Sunday.
Speaking to media on the side of the field, Treu said his
troops were glad to be on home soil and were looking forward to play in front
of the South African supporters.
“The Port Elizabeth fans gave us unbelievable support last
year and we could feel the buzz in the city upon our arrival last night. The
guys realise that they did not play to their potential in Dubai and we will
work hard on our mental preparation to hopefully deliver the type of performances
that will make our fans proud of us.
“It’s also nice to have Cecil back. He is an inspirational
player and a great team member so his presence will no doubt give the boys an
extra lift. However, we will not take unnecessary risks with him and he will
only play if he is fully fit,” added Treu.
Tuesday at 12h30, all the international captains will attend
a signing session at the Cleary Park Mall, where fans will also be able to view
the HSBC Sevens World Series trophy on display.