BlitzBoks on brink of new era
Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:13
The retention of their International Rugby Board Sevens World Series title is a fast-fading dream for the Springbok side - and a pragmatic Bok coach Paul Treu has now set his sights on the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.
"Of course it remains our main goal to retain the IRB title," said Treu on Thursday, adding: "but the reality is it will take not only a huge effort from the Springboks in the remaining six tournaments, but also some unlikely results from the front runners in the competition for that to happen.
"It is a good time to start building for the future - and that includes the Commonwealth Games as our first goal after the IRB Series.
"We have some very good young players and we still have six tournaments to get to the right combination and standard."
Treu has four new caps in the side for the IRB tournaments in Wellington (February 5 and 6) and Las Vegas (February 13 and 14) in Philip van der Walt, Steven Hunt, Hoffman Maritz and Branco du Preez, as well as Cecil Afrika who has played in only two tournaments so far.
But, points out Treu, some of the youngsters presently in the squad as well as members of the training squad in Stellenbosch, should be at their peak in 2016 when Sevens makes its debut at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
"That's six years from now. These guys will be between 25 and 27 years old by the time the Olympics take place - hard and experienced."
"We've worked very hard over the last fortnight," Treu said.
"With the new players in the side it was important they gel and feel comfortable with the structures. They all had good tournaments in Argentina [Mar del Plata] and Sri Lanka [Asian Invitation] and the ability is there.
"One must remember, however, that this is a big step up - and the rigorous training the past few weeks was partly to prepare the younger guys for the tougher and longer schedule of the IRB Series."
Treu will be using debutant Du Preez and Afrika as sweepers now that Renfred Dazel has again been laid low by his knee injury.
Dazel was injured last year, and missed the Dubai and George IRB tournaments.
He was selected for Wellington and Las Vegas, but withdrew this week when his knee flared up again.
After the Mar del Plata tournament, where the SA Vipers overran what was hosts Argentina's national side 29-7, Treu indicated he might use some of the youngsters who shone in that tournament.
"The one thing missing in Dubai and George was speed and other than helping with that, we can also start building again with younger players who will hopefully be with us for a long period of time," he said on the side's return.
The Springboks have two difficult pools in Wellington and Las Vegas.
In Wellington they are in the same pool as series leaders New Zealand in Pool A - and if they end second will probably face Fiji for the third time this season. Fiji eliminated them in the quarterfinals in both the Dubai and George tournaments.
In Las Vegas the Boks are paired in Pool B with Fiji - and should they fail to win their pool, they're destined to face New Zealand in the quarters.
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