Sevens Boks get Stormers injection
Thu, 08 May 2008 22:57
Cheetahs flank Kabamba Floors and pacy Stormers utility back Gio Aplon have been named in a powerful Springbok Sevens squad for the final two rounds of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens Series in London and Edinburgh later this month.
And in a further boost to coach Paul Treu's squad development of his squad, former SA Sevens player of the year, Stefan Basson, has been placed on standby, after returning from club commitments in Italy.
Treu announced that the fleet footed and agile Aplon has been released by the Stormers for the two Sevens tournaments in the United Kingdom.
A proviso is that, should the Stormers require his services because of injury problems in the team, he will be required to return to Cape Town.
Other good news is that the ankle injury suffered by Jonathan Mokuena has responded very well to treatment. He has started with light training again and should regain full fitness in time to travel with the team for their warm-up tournament in Amsterdam before the London Sevens.
South Africa are currently ranked in second place on the Series log - behind runaway-leaders New Zealand.
The team appeared in the last three Cup Finals, with their title-winning performance in Adelaide bringing an end to New Zealand's record-breaking unbeaten run of 47 matches and seven consecutive tournament titles.
The Boks will play a training match against the Western Province Rugby Institute at Stellenbosch on Friday.
The squad departs for Europe on May 13.
* Meanwhile the squad, on the brink of improving on their pre-series goal of finishing third in the IRB World Series, are on the brink of securing the services of one of the world's best Sevens players - Basson.
Treu on Thursday announced that Basson might join the Boks in a warm-up tournament in Amsterdam next weekend -
and he is hopeful that the blond former star will be available for the last two
tournaments in the series in London and Edinburgh the following two weekends.
Basson, a former Blue Bull who now plays his rugby overseas, has been offered a two-year Sevens contract after missing South Africa's last two tournaments a year ago because of disciplinary reasons.
His probably return to the Bok Sevens side is only part of the good news.
South Africa: Frankie Horne, Fabian Juries, Mpho Mbiyozo, MJ Mentz, Neil Powell (captain), Marius Schoeman, Schalk van der Merwe, Vuyo Zangqa (all SA Rugby contracted Sevens players), Danwel Demas (Bulls), Kabamba Floors, Jonathan Mokuena (Cheetahs), Gio Aplon (Stormers).
On standby: Stefan Basson (Italy), Marvin Christians (Western Province), Earl Lewis (Boland), Norman Nelson (SA Rugby).
