Salt Rock’s Bradley Loch is hoping international exposure at the Dubai 7s will reinvigorate his professional rugby dreams.

The 19-year-old plans to travel to the tournament at the end of November as part of the Into Africa Sports invitational team – which also includes three other North Coast locals – and is fundraising to make that possible.

If all goes well, the tournament will be the biggest stage of Bradley’s life and could be a path back into rugby as a potential career option.

The 6’6″, 120kg loose forward is originally from the northern reaches of the province and has played rugby for as long as he can remember, honing his skills at Hoërskool Pionier in Vryheid.

“I have mostly played as a lock but have recently enjoyed playing on the flank or as an eighth man,” he said.

“I really like 7s because it gives me a chance to show some of my ball skills which I don’t usually get to do in 15s, where the roles are more defined.”

Bradley was scouted out of high school and planned on attending the RTA Rugby Academy, but life got in the way.

He ended up moving to Salt Rock to find work and temporarily put rugby on the back burner.

“I haven’t really played formal rugby this year but have been keeping fit,” he said.

“When I got the call for this 7s team it felt like a perfect chance to get back into it and hopefully I can play well in Dubai.”

The Dubai 7s is one of the biggest events on the annual rugby calendar, drawing teams from around the world across a series of divisions.

At the top end that means international teams like the Blitzboks, while invitational teams like the one Bradley will play for are in a separate division.

He will be joined by Jarred Guilherme and Damian van As from Curro Salt Rock and Jarred Scheepers from Ashton International College Ballito in the Into Africa Sports team.

Bradley’s fundraising effort has so far gone well but is not yet complete. If you would like to donate, visit backabuddy.co.za/campaign/emirates-dubai-7s-rugby.

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