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Can Boks do Blitz?

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Neil Powell (Gallo Images)
Neil Powell (Gallo Images)

The countdown to the next significant date in Springbok rugby – the Olympic Games in Rio – has officially begun.

With the rugby World Cup having ended in disappointment for the Springboks, it will be up to the national Sevens side, the Blitzbokke, to pick up the baton and return with an Olympic gold medal.

Rugby will be returning to the Games for the first time since 1924, and Blitzbokke coach Neil Powell is determined to make it a stellar occasion for South Africa.

To this end, Powell has started his preparation for the Olympic kickoff – now 265 days away.

Powell has selected a group of 35 to start the season, including being able to secure buy-in from the unions to release a number of rugby union players who might be able to help the Olympic cause.

Interestingly, he called in Springbok forwards Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje, Warren Whiteley and Ryan Kankowski, as well as dynamic Lions loose forward Jaco Kriel, in an effort to find the right mix.

With the Sevens side having lost form towards the end of the last HSBC Sevens World Series – to narrowly miss out on winning the overall title, Powell concedes he is looking to add bulk and height to the Blitzbokke.

“The Springbok Sevens are in fact one of the smaller sides in the series, and even though we have shown we can win tournaments with pace and skill, I was concerned that the wheels came off a little bit when the series was ours for the taking,” said Powell.

“I’m going to be looking for players who can provide the necessary aerial skills in line-outs and at kickoffs, and who can also off-load in the tackle after having committed a defender,” the coach explained.

He cautioned, though, that there would be no automatic access into the Blitzbokke team for the players from the ­
15-man format.

“The fitness requirement is quite different in Sevens, and they will have to show that they are up to it.”

Other rugby union men in his sights are Bryan Habana – who last played Sevens 10 years ago – Damian de Allende, Francois Hougaard, Cornal Hendricks and Lwazi Mvovo.

Even without the rugby union reinforcements, the Blitzbokke are a major force in Sevens. They are the holders of the Commonwealth gold medal, Werner Kok was recently named the World Sevens Player of the Year and speedster Seabelo Senatla was also a nominee for the award.

Powell says he wants to use the forthcoming HSBC Series, which is heading to some of the greatest cities in the world, to take a look at all the players on a rotational basis before committing to his 12-man Olympic squad three weeks before the kickoff on August 6.

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