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Stick back with Bok Sevens
06/02/2008 22:14 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Mzwandile Stick, one of South Africa's top and most experienced Sevens
players, has been called up by Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu to
replace teenage sensation Juan de Jongh for the San Diego leg of the IRB
World Sevens Series on Saturday and Sunday.
De Jongh has been summoned to
be on standby for the Stormers.
The Springboks are seeded fourth for the San Diego tournament, the
fourth in the 2007/08 series.
The selection of De Jongh, identified by Treu, for the Wellington and
San Diego legs of the Sevens series, came as a surprise to many, but his
performance in the Wellington tournament was one of the highlights of
the Springbok side that could do no better than win the Plate.
The Stormers call-up of De Jongh is a feather in Treu's cap as a scout
of rare talent, but is also another blow to a man who has over time
learned to cope with the loss of his Sevens squad players just as things
seemingly take a turn for the better.
Goal-kicking prowess
Stick returns after injuring his shoulder in the George tournament in
December. His goal-kicking prowess, added to his general playmaking
skills, will stand the Boks in good stead in their quest to win their
first tournament in the present series.
The Springboks, who will be preparing for the tournament by playing
against the West Indies side and Wales this week, are favourites to win
Pool D.
They are grouped with England, the United States Eagles and Mexico, and
are seeded to play the second side of Pool C in the quarter-finals,
which should be Kenya.
Should the Springboks progress to the semi-final, they will probably meet
the winner of the clash between Samoa/Fiji from Pool B and New Zealand,
who should dominate Pool A.
New Zealand have now won their last five tournaments, and are close to
making the IRB series a one-horse race. It is the first time that a side
has won the first three tournaments in a series, as the All Blacks have
in the 2007/08 series by winning in Dubai, George and Wellington.
"I can't see any team stopping New Zealand now this season," said Treu
after the Wellington tournament.
"It's going to be difficult for any team to catch up unless they (New
Zealand) do pretty badly for the remaining five tournaments. Hong Kong
is worth almost double points, but New Zealand's experienced players
lead by example, their composure is very impressive and their defence is
the best in the world."
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