India: Schoeman OUT, Powell IN

Who was it who said bad things happen in threes?

I’d like to tell that poor sod to have a look at the BlitzBokke, because it just happened to us for the umpteenth time.

SARU today reported that the veteran Marius Schoeman was withdrawn from the South African Sevens side for the Commonwealth Games due to injury.

Ironically Schoeman suffered an injury to his hand in Dubai during the Sevens World Cup back in 2009. The injury forced him to withdraw from that tournament as well.

Unlike in Dubai in 2009 when he remained with the team for the duration of the tournament, the veteran now heads home instead of boarding a flight for India.

Injury-plagued Marius Schoeman at the Sevens RWC, also in Dubai (Pic: Louisa Mills)

Die een se dood is die ander een se brood/One man’s meat is another man’s poison

Neil Powell is on his way to the Commonwealth Games to replace his injured Springbok Sevens team mate Schoeman, who yesterday became the latest South African player to miss the Games in Delhi because of injury.

Schoeman, who earned his first Springbok Sevens colours in 2001, will return home over the weekend after a clash of heads in last night’s warm-up match against the Arabian Gulf at the Dubai College left him with a fractured eye socket.

He now joins the long list of first choice SA Sevens players who are unavailable for the Games because of injury. The South African squad is due to fly out tomorrow morning (SA time) to join Team SA in Delhi.

Coach Paul Treu described the loss of veteran Schoeman as another big setback, but added he is pleased with the overall preparation of his team. The twelve-man squad wrapped up their training earlier today in Dubai, where they have been staying the past week to help them to get use to the high humidity factor in Delhi.

“The humidity here in the desert is actually much higher than in Delhi, so I’m confident that the team will adjust so much quicker to the Indian climate. Okkie Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls newcomer) has slotted in well and is learning fast, while the week in Dubai has given the other youngsters more time to settle in and to get use to our set-up, especially when traveling.”

“We are all positive, in a good frame of mind and very eager to get to Delhi so that we can slot into the Games environment experience the unique multi-sport environment,” said Treu.

The Springbok Sevens will open the Sevens competition at the Games on 11 October with a match against Tonga, followed by fixtures against India and Wales on the same day.