Stick keen to build from Plate victory
Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:19
South Africa will be determined to build on their improved performance in Las Vegas when the Springbok Sevens team contests the next two IRB Sevens World Series tournaments in Australia and Hong Kong next month.
The Adelaide Oval is home to the Australian leg, on March 19-21, while the popular Hong Kong Sevens will be staged from March 26-28.
Reigning World Series champions South Africa shares Pool B in Adelaide with the powerful Samoan team, winners of the first USA Sevens in Las Vegas two weeks ago, as well as France and Japan.
For the Hong Kong event the Springboks Sevens team was drawn in Pool F alongside two more African teams, Kenya and Zimbabwe, while Korea completes the pool line-up.
New Zealand currently tops the standings with 84 points followed by Samoa 70 points and Fiji 68 points. South Africa is further back in seventh place on 36 points.
Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu lost the services of many of last season’s championship-winning squad, while long-term injuries to Neil Powell, Paul Delport and the dynamic Renfred Dazel have robbed him of even more experienced players.
Mzwandile Stick, who has taken over the captaincy in place of the injured Delport, said the team is now determined to build on their performance in the USA.
"In Sevens you must always be prepared to start from afresh, because it is natural for players to move on to Super Rugby or our provincial teams.
"In saying that, it also opened the door to new guys like Cecil Afrika, Steven Hunt and Branco du Preez to come and show us what they’re capable of.
"Cecil has been outstanding so far, while the rest of the newcomers now all have experience of World Series action, which will only benefit us going forward.
"As a team we’re obviously not pleased with seventh place on the log and our overall performance so far. However, we are working very hard to eliminate those marginal errors and hopefully our Plate victory in Las Vegas will kick-start a better run of results for us," said Stick.
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