The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has named a large SA Sevens Women training squad in preparation for the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) tournament next month in Botswana.
A squad of 28 players will assemble from 22 – 25 September in Port Elizabeth to start with preparations for the tournament that will be the local Women’s first Sevens outing since the 2009 Rugby World Cup in Dubai, where the team reached the semi-finals.
SA Women coach, Denver Wannies, said he was looking forward again to work with the group of players. “Unfortunately, there are not many opportunities for them to play Sevens. However, we must make the most of the opportunity in Botswana and there is also the possibility of the team playing at the end of year in Dubai.
“We have some good young talent coming through from the Under-20 ranks and our provincial structures, and together with our experienced crop of senior players, we should be able to select a good, competitive team,” said Wannies.
According to the coach, he will reduce the enlarged squad to just 15 players at the end of the second camp which is scheduled for mid-October.
The CAR tournament takes place on 29-30 October and apart from SA and the host country, will also include other southern African teams such as Zimbabwe and Kenya.
The following Women players have been invited to attend a SA Sevens training camp from 22 – 25 September 2011 in Port Elizabeth:
Yolanda Meiring, Judith Chauke, Marithy Pienaar, Shona-Leah Weston (Blue Bulls); Celeste Adonis, Chrisna van Slicht (Boland); Mandisa Williams, Ziyanda Tywaleni, Nolusindiso Booi, Nwabisa Ngxatu, Sinazo Nobele (Border); Lamla Momoti, Zandile Nojoko, Phumeza Gadu, Zenay Jordaan, Nomathamsanqa Faleni (Eastern Province); Nombulelo Mayongo (Griffons); Lusanda Mtiya, Nomzamo Mtiya (KwaZulu-Natal); Welmarie Wessels (Leopards); Ester Mahlangu, Linah Sibiloane (Mpumalanga); Onicca Moaga (SWD); Natasha Hofmeester, Charmaine Kayser, Aimee Barrett, Janine Felix, Elma Kemp (Western Province).
Team Management: Denver Wannies (coach), Orna Prinsloo(team manager), Tanushree Pillay (physiotherapist), Denzil van Heerden (biokineticist), Dr Jerome Mampane (team doctor).
Editors Notes: Dear Mr Handsome Chumani now that you have sensitised me to the issue of race within our sporting codes I couldn’t help but do a mental racial profile on all the surnames above and arrived at the following breakdown – 6 ‘could be white surnames’, 15 ‘could be black surnames’ and 7 ‘could be coloured’ surnames. We need to work on whittling down those ‘could be white surnames’ though, maybe they would like to go and play for Bafanny?
On the other hand, for a relatively new post apartheid form of the game of rugby I think that the team is pretty well representative of sport in a ‘normal society’ so BIG UP for the Women’s Team and SARU!
