Blitzboks get triple boost for Oz challenge
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Selvyn Davids is among a trio of experienced Blitzboks who have returned to training in the buildup for a tough Australian leg of the World Sevens Series at the end of January.
Skipper Davids, Ryan Oosthuizen and Ronald Brown, who missed the tournament victory for South Africa in Cape Town at the start of December, joined the team at their base in Stellenbosch since last week.
Head coach Philip Snyman, meanwhile, will continue blooding new players as he rebuilds his squad towards the 2028 Olympics, while some niggles are impacting the preparations of those such as Tristan Leyds, who was a standout in the Mother City last month.
“It was nice to have the likes of Ryan Oosthuizen, Selvyn Davids and Ronald Brown back at training, though, after they all missed Cape Town due to injury as they are all experienced players and will widen my options for selecting a side to Perth,” Snyman said.
"The fact that we know what is waiting on that side will also help.
A challenging pool draw for Perth completes the circle of motivation for the South Africans, who were drawn with current series champions Argentina, hosts Australia and a resurgent USA side for the event at HBF Park from 24 to 26 January.
Some beach bodies starting the @SVNSSeries prep with no beach in sight…..#PoweredByUnitypic.twitter.com/QphNMENGyl
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) January 3, 2025
Olympic champions France are in Pool B alongside Spain, Great Britain and Ireland in an all European affair, while Fiji and New Zealand will go into battle in Pool C along with newly promoted Kenya and Uruguay.
“We came back into camp on 2 January with a clear understanding that we are building again," said Snyman.
"The Cape Town win, as awesome as it was for us in front of our home crowd, is in the past, the holidays are done, but not so the hard work for the rest of the year, including Perth.
"Seeing the pool today was a final confirmation that the challenge will be real, but also the knowledge that we are already a week in towards the next goal, to do well in Perth."
The Blitzbok coach said playing in front of a home crowd remains a special feeling and that the Aussies will have that advantage in Perth, while the Blitzboks edged Argentina in their previous encounter in Cape Town.
“The USA remains a really tough team, wherever you play them, so the pool is certainly a tough one," he said.
The Blitzboks will depart for Perth on 19 January.
Photo: @Blitzboks/Twitter
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