Kings sensation boosts Kaizer Chiefs
Southern Kings try-scoring sensation Sergeal Petersen will run out for the Kaizer Chiefs Sevens team in next weekend’s George Premier League Sevens.
After they dazzled all with their flair and distinctive kit in their inaugural appearance last year, the trend-setting Kaizer Chiefs are returning to the Garden Route with a powerful team to back up the brand on the field.
Double Springbok international and Kaizer Chiefs Sevens coach, Gcobani Bobo, did some clever recruitment since last year and will arrive at the scenic Outeniqua Park in George with a squad consisting of no less than four Springbok Sevens internationals, some leading Varsity Cup players as well as hot stepper Petersen.
The sensational Eastern Province flyer highlights a squad that includes Springbok Sevens all-time try-scoring record holder, Fabian Juries, and BlitzBokke Danwel Demas and Norman Nelson in an exceptional line-up of playmakers and speedsters.
Former South African Schools fullback Leroy Bitterhout will bring even more side-stepping prowess to the team that also include regular Ssvens exponents Reg Muller and Jason Kriel, who donned the Blue Bulls colours in last year's tournament.
Bobo also roped in hard-working flank and University of Johannesburg Varsity Cup captain, Justin Wheeler, as well as fellow loose forward Daneel Ellis, and South African Students Sevens ace, Vuyo Ganto, from the University of Fort Hare.
Former Pumas and current Boland Cavaliers flank, Junior Bester, is the sole survivor of the Chiefs squad from last year.
“We have a strong squad and I am pretty happy they will do our wonderful brand justice with their performances.
“The Kaizer Chiefs brand deserves nothing but the best and I am pretty pleased that we have a squad that will be very competitive and that will be able to play a kind of sevens that will reflect on our professionalism and appetite for success,” Bobo said.
Kaizer Chiefs marketing director, Jessica Motaung, said the decision to return to the tournament was an easy one.
“We have seen tremendous goodwill towards Kaizer Chiefs in last year’s inaugural tournament and we proved to be one of the most popular teams at the event. We would like to reward our new fan base with another go at the title and I am pretty excited about the quality of our squad that Gcobani managed to put together.
“We created sporting history last year and our brand benefited immensely, so we would like to give some of our gratitude back to our fan base in the Southern Cape. We hope to expand our brand even more in this non-traditional market that embraced us with so much passion last year.”
Tournament promoter Willem Strauss predicted Petersen to be one of the stars of the tournament, to be held on December 13 and 14.
"We really are blessed this year with the abundance of talent that will be on display at Outeniqua Park this year, but I think Sergeal can easily turn out to be the real star.
“In my many years of involvement with the schools rugby Sevens series, Sergeal stood out as one of the real prospects and I have no doubt that he will again be a star attraction. His performances in Super Rugby this year proved his class," Strauss said.
"It is clear that winning the title is high on the agenda of Kaizer Chiefs Sevens. Their performances last year won them many fans, this time it could just win them a title as well," Strauss said.
Kaizer Chiefs Sevens: Danwel Demas, Fabian Juries, Junior Bester, Norman Nelson, Sinovuyo Ganto, Sergeal Petersen, Leroy Bitterhout, Reg Muller, Daneel Ellis, Justin Wheeler, Jason Kriel.
