The most promising women’s Sevens talent in South Africa have assembled in Port Elizabeth today for a training camp and series of trial matches in preparation for the upcoming IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.
The inaugural Women’s Series kicks off in Dubai at the end of November and the South Africans will be one of 12 teams participating at the historic event.
A national training group of 15 players will continue with their Dubai preparations at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University from today until Sunday and they will be joined by two trial teams, a SA Select consisting of 10 players and the Eastern Cape Select squad of nine players.
Denver Wannies, the SA Women’s Sevens coach, said he was looking forward to work with the enlarged group of players.
“Women’s Rugby has entered a new, exciting era and we must prepare ourselves so that our players can be competitive. The two trail groups consist of players who impressed during the SARU Interprovincial tournament last week in Pretoria. These players now have an opportunity to further impress the selectors and maybe force their way into the national training group.
“The new World Series is a fantastic opportunity for our players to showcase their talent. With the Sevens World Cup in Moscow next year and the 2016 Olympics also on the horizon, it makes sense for us to cast our net wider and search for new talent which we can identify early and include in our structures,” explained Wannies.
Meanwhile, with little over three weeks to go until the start of the inaugural IRB Women’s Sevens World Series in Dubai, the official tournament website is now live at wsws.irb.com.
The website is the first of its kind for the women’s Game and offers dedicated news, Series information, video, audio, rights-free media material and fan-focused Social Media content.
From each round of the Series, the official IRB highlight edits will be made available online, both on the official website and also via youtube.com/irb.
The following players have been invited to the SA Women’s training camp in PE:
- SA Sevens Training Group: Yolanda Meiring, Marithy Pienaar (Blue Bulls), Mandisa Williams, Nwabisa Ngxatu, Ziyanda Tywaleni, Sinazo Nobele, Nosiphiwo Goda, Fundiswa Plaatjie (Border), Zenay Jordaan, Phumeza Gadu (Eastern Province), Natasha Hoffmeester, Belle Makwezele, Zaandre Theron, Zimkitha Tsilana (Western Province) and Mathrin Simmers )Southwestern Districts). Coach: Denver Wannies
- Eastern Cape Select squad: Vuyiswa Skosana, Siphosethu Tshingana, Sesethu Kobese, Jenneva Scholtz (Eastern Province), Vuyolwethe Vazi (Blue Bulls), Yolanda Sana, Songezwa Makhalima, Siviwe Basweni (Border A), Theresa Ruiters (Boland). Coach: Ziniko Dumapi
- SA Sevens Select squad: Nomaphelo Mayongo, Phindile Mtshali, Lynette Ziqubu (KwaZulu-Natal), Bernice Strydom (Free State), Nomsa Mokwai (Leopards), Masabata Finger, Molly Chabatsene (Griffons), Veroeshka Grain (Western Province), Faith Chauke (Blue Bulls), Rachelle Geldenhuys (Golden Lions). Coach: Riaan Van der Merwe
