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Soyizwapi and Plaatjies to lead SA Sevens teams at Commonwealth Games
Young squads have been announced for both the men's and women's tournaments.
Siviwe Soyizwapi in action for the Blitzboks during a World Rugby Sevens Series tournament earlier this year. Picture: Gallo Images
Siviwe Soyizwapi and Asisipho Plaatjies have been named as captains of the South African men’s and women’s Sevens teams for the Commonwealth Games starting in Birmingham next week.
Both teams, named on Thursday, depart on Saturday for England to participate in the multi-sport event.
Blitzbok captain Soyizwapi and Zain Davids are the only squad members who will make a second appearance at the Commonwealth Games as members of Team South Africa.
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“I really think there is a good balance between experience and youth in the squad, with a number of younger players who have done well and put up their hands in the last two seasons who got their reward,” said Blitzboks coach Neil Powell.
“We find that the younger guys bring a very nice energy to this team and if we channel that well and in the right direction, it will benefit the team.”
South Africa, who caimed gold at the 2014 Games in Glasgow but missed the podium at the Gold Coast showpiece in 2018, are scheduled to play Malaysia, Tonga and Scotland in their pool in Birmingham.
Women’s tournament
Meanwhile, Springbok Women’s Sevens head coach Paul Delport named six new caps in the squad for the multi-sport spectacle, with Plaatjies set to lead the team for the first time.
The 26-year-old University of Fort Hare student is enjoying a stellar year on the rugby field. She made her debut for the national team at the World Rugby Sevens Series event in Toulouse in May, and three weeks later she scored the winning try for Border Ladies in the final of the Women’s Premier Division tournament against Western Province in Cape Town.
Mathrin Simmers and Unathi Mali are the only two survivors from the 2018 tournament, where the women’s competition for Rugby Sevens was introduced for the first time, with the SA team failing to win any of their pool stage or playoff matches.
Liske Lategan, Donelle Snyders and Anacadia Minnaar also traveled to Toulouse, however, while Felicia Jacobs is a capped Springbok Women international with three Tests appearances to her name.
“We are going into this tournament with realistic expectations,” Delport said.
“This is going to be a huge learning curve for us, but we will be better for it. We have set out targets for the tournament and we will judge ourselves by those.”
SA men’s team
Sakoyisa Makata, Christie Grobbelaar, James Murphy, Zain Davids, Angelo Davids, JC Pretorius, Ronald Brown, Selvyn Davids, Shaun Williams, Dewald Human, Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain), Muller du Plessis, Mfundo Ndhlovu
SA women’s team
Unathi Mali, Asisipho Plaatjies (captain), Kemiketso Baloyi, Donelle Snyders, Luleka Tyibilika, Anacadia Minnaar, Nontuthoko Shongwe, Kyla de Vries, Felicia Jacobs, Mathrin Simmers, Zandile Masuku, Liske Lategan, Bianca Augustyn
