Last week we reported on Springbok Sevens mentor Paul Treu‘s regular article on www.irb.com

In it the BlitzBokke coach wrote of his annual professional development trip further south (in fact on the other side of the globe) to, Melbourne, Australia.

“Every year I go on at least one professional development trip and, even as I write this column, I’m sitting waiting for a flight to Australia where I’m going to be shadowing some of the country’s best sports coaches in Melbourne.” Paul wrote in his article for the International Rugby Board (IRB).

He continued: “The city is an unbelievable place to visit but it’s also a stronghold of AFL (Australian Rules Football) and I’m going to be visiting three clubs, Collingwood, North Melbourne and the Melbourne Demons, to share the knowledge and experience of their coaches.”

The coach then expanded on his decision to visit the Melbourne Storm Rugby League club.

“There is so much that Rugby Union and Sevens in particular can learn from other sports like these. Whether you’re coaching rugby, AFL, Touch or hockey the same underlying principles come into play: you have to make your first-up tackles, you have to defend well, you have to work hard, you have to be organised and you have to make sure that everyone knows their own role in the team or the squad.”

He added: “More specifically I’ll be looking at the aerial prowess of the AFL players and see how I can relay that back to my Sevens team for restarts. We’ve seen how Samoa and Australia have really grabbed the ascendancy in that area on the Sevens World Series so I’ll be interested there.”

Here at BlitzBokke.com HQ, what we like about Paul is that he is a coach who (1) is able to learn from anybody and any code of sport in order to improve himself as a coach and (2) apply this knowledge to the benefit of his team and his charges.  He has been doing this for a number of years since taking charge of the BlitzBokke and we salute him for it.

In his article Treu concludes:

“More than anything, though, it’s an opportunity to learn, to grow as a coach and to expand on the skill set that I can then impart onto some of the most exciting, young and talented players South African rugby has to offer.  I will try anything once, if it helps us in our quest for Commonwealth gold. Against all the odds…”

We’re right behind you Paul.

Coach Paul Treu with his extended family in Melbourne, flanked by wife Jody and daughter Skyler (Pic: Katarina Knowles)

The Springbok Sevens training squad is hard at work at the base in Stellenbosch.  Coach Paul Treu will announce his final team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India on Monday 16 August while SASCOC will make an official announcement a week later.

Springboks on FaceBook posted the following pictures of the BlitzBokke traning camp in Cape Town:

UR7s.com today reported that BlitzBokke legend Marius “Shoes” Schoeman will lead English National Series champions ULR Samurai International at the upcoming Middlesex Sevens (August 14).

Marius (Shoes) Schoeman (Pic: SARU)

(Outsurance advert for South African internet traffic only, a click only will support this website)

You may remember that Shoes came out of retirement to form part of the victorious BlitzBokke side who won their first-ever IRB Sevens World Series title.

We hope that this ‘appointment’ means that the legend is not lost to the world of Sevens rugby and that he will still be able to plough back his extensive experience to the benefit of the Springboks’ international campaign.

Well done Shoes!

You can read the UR7s story right here

Now you see him, now you don’t….

Here is a movie clip we put together when Shoes first announced that he was retiring:

The Springbok Sevens players reported for their first day back at the office yesterday where they started the first of a series of fitness and conditioning tests.

The testing took place at the Sports science Institute (SSISA) in the Cape Town suburb of Newlands, next to the iconic Newlands Rugby Stadium.

The Springbok Sevens players take to the bikes at the SS Institute (Pic: Springboks FaceBook Group)

BlitzBokke coach Paul Treu recently announced his first squad for the new season and the following players assembled at the SSISA yesterday:

Chase Minnaar, Frankie Horne, Chris Dry, Kyle Brown, Neil Powell, Paul Delport, Cecil Africa, Ryno Benjamin, Hoffman Maritz, Renfred Dazel (all SARU contracted),  Lubabalo Mtembu, Brian Shabangu (The Sharks), Boom Prinsloo (FS Cheetahs), Jacques Engelbrecht (SWD), Bernardo Botha (Golden Lions), Mark Esterhuizen (Ikeys), Siyanda Grey (EP), Tom Seabela (Blue Bulls).

Treu also announced the signing of 3 schoolboy-players who will join the BlitzBokke on SARU-contracts. However, William Small-Smith (Grey College and Free State), Craig Barry and Tshotsho Mbovane (both from Paul Roos) will officially start work on January 1, 2011 so as to allow them to finish their schooling.

The Springbok Sevens team will join Team South Africa for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India in October while the 2010/2011 IRB Sevens World Series kicks off with the Dubai Sevens on December 2, 2010.

Four Emerging SA Sevens players and a member of the SA Under-20 team are included in a Springbok Sevens training group of 18 players that will assemble from tomorrow morning in Stellenbosch.

According to coach Paul Treu, the get together in Stellenbosch will kick-start his pre-season training schedule for the next IRB Sevens World Series and also the Commonwealth Games that starts on October 3 in India.

Brian Shabangu (The Sharks), Jacques Engelbrecht (SWD), Bernardo Botha (Golden Lions) and Siyanda Grey (Eastern Province) were all members of the Emerging SA Sevens team that recently lost in extra-time to hosts Kenya in the final of the Safaricom Sevens (formerly known as the Tusker Safari Sevens) in Nairobi.

Brian Shabangu (Pic: SARU)

Bernardo Botha (Pic: SARU)

And the good performance of Lubabalo Mtembu (pictured below) for the SA U20 team at the recently held IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina has been rewarded by a call-up to the Sevens training group.

Other newcomers to the training group are Boom Prinsloo (Free State Cheetahs), Mark Esterhuizen (UCT) and Tom Seabela (Blue Bulls).

The group will spend most of the next couple of days undergoing medical and fitness tests and then commence with a conditioning programme to get them in shape for on-field training from the start of August.

The Springbok Sevens training group to assemble from Monday in Stellenbosch:

Chase Minnaar, Frankie Horne, Chris Dry, Kyle Brown, Neil Powell, Paul Delport, Cecil Africa, Ryno Benjamin, Hoffman Maritz, Renfred Dazel (all SARU contracted),

Lubabalo Mtembu, Brian Shabangu (The Sharks), Boom Prinsloo (FS Cheetahs), Jacques Engelbrecht (SWD), Bernardo Botha (Golden Lions), Mark Esterhuizen (Ikeys), Siyanda Grey (EP), Tom Seabela (Blue Bulls).

Three of the most promising young players in the country have signed contracts to play  for the BlitzBokke for the next two years, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced today.

The trio of SA Schools stars are William Small-Smith of Grey College and Free State, Craig Barry and Tshotsho Mbovane, who both hail from Paul Roos and represented Western Province at the recent Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week in Welkom.

Welcome to the BlitzBokke family, Tshotsho Mbovane

Barry is an attacking fullback, while Small-Smith and Mbovane play at outside centre. They were selected for the SA Schools U18 team after shining for their respective provinces in Welkom.

All three players are products of the SARU U18 High Performance programme spearheaded by Herman Masimla. They will also represent the High Performance squad next week in three international fixtures against the U18 teams of France, England and Namibia.

The players’ two year contracts will start from 1 January 2011, giving them the chance to complete their final school year.

Newest BlitzBokke signing, William Small-Smith (Pic: sarugby.co.za)

The new Springbok Sevens contracted players were presented to the media during a press conference earlier today at the Sports Science Institute of SA Building in Newlands, where they were flanked by Paul Treu (Springbok Sevens coach) and Masimla.

BlitzBokke mentor, Paul Treu

Treu said the signing of the three schoolboy stars signify the introduction of a new career path for young professional rugby players in South Africa.

“It is crucial that we create opportunities for our many young promising players. South Africa is blessed with so much talent and not every youngster can break into the senior ranks. These three players represent the start of a new direction for us and I am confident that the High Performance programme will deliver many more players of their calibre in the future.”

“It would be great if we can go to the Olympics in 2016 and these three players are established players of the Springbok Sevens team,” said Treu.

Welcome to the BlitzBokke, Craig Barry (Pic: sarugby.co.za)

Masimla explains the purpose of the High Performance programme: “SARU has established a HP system that acts as a pathway that reaches from junior level right to the senior ranks. This player pathway is based on the long term athlete development model, where players are identified and kept in the HP system for as long as possible.”

The Springbok Sevens training squad assembles on Monday at their base in Stellenbosch.

Proud BlitzBokke Coach, Paul Treu with our newest signings.  Welcome Boys!  (Pic: Springboks on FaceBook)

BlitzBokke.com joins Springbok Sevens mentor Paul Treu when he said that he granted Mzwandile Stick and Mpho Mbiyozo‘s release from their SARU/Sevens contracts “with a heavy heart.”

Stick and Impi have returned to the 15-man code, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced on Thursday.  The pair were granted release from their SARU contracts to take up offers to join the Eastern Province Rugby Union.

Cheers Boys. Mzwandile Stick & Mpho Mbiyozo are on their way to Eastern Province (Pics: SARU)

“We granted their release with a heavy heart, but they have achieved so much in Sevens and have ambitions that they wanted to fulfil in the 15-a-side game so we thought it only right to allow them the opportunity,” said Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu.

“They have been fantastic servants of the Sevens squad, winning the IRB World Sevens Series in 2008/2009 as well being part of tournament winning teams around the world. I’m sure that the experience and skills they have acquired in Sevens will stand them in good stead – as well as their provinces – in future.”

Treu said he had begun succession planning some time ago, which had been hastened by injuries to several leading players in the past season.

“Someone like Cecil Afrika has come through to be a star of the Series this season and we have also been able to test other young players. I have also spoken to some provinces about releasing their players when it comes to the Commonwealth Games championship in India in October.”

Replacements for Stick and Mbiyozo in the group of contracted Springbok Sevens players will be announced later in the year.

BlitzBokke.com is saddened by the news of the passing of one of the great servants of Springbok Sevens rugby.

It is with great shock that I learnt this morning that Kim Massouras, former Liaison Officer for the BlitzBokke whenever they campaigned in Dubai, has passed away.

DeWet Du Plessis informed us via the BlitzBokke FaceBook Group from Dubai that Kim was diagnosed with terminal cancer in May.

Kim did duty as Liaison Officer for the Springboks for a few seasons until she joined the England Sevens side recently.  When she informed me that she was going to be working for Ben Ryan’s team, I fondly remember her adding that her “heart will always be with the Boys in Green & Gold.”

That was the Kim Massouras I came to know.  While I never had the opportunity to meet her in person, she was always ready to help with information or some pictures whenever the Springboks were in Dubai.  Everybody who knew the dedicated, fun-loving Kim loved her.  The players whom she served so selflessly loved her.

Thank you for your kindness Kim. Thank you for your selfless service to Sevens and in particular, Thank you for your service to Springbok Sevens rugby.

You are missed already.

Rest in Peace.

Mike Jansen

(Hong Kong)

During a recent Stormers game, in a moment of extreme excitement at a local (Hong Kong) watering hole, I called Stormers coach Alistair Coetzee “Toetie.”  This was met with a few baffled stares from my fellow South African rugby supporters at Delaney’s Irish Bar in Wan Chai.

Later that evening, I was prompted into giving an impromptu (of what I knew of the) history of “black South African rugby” in the apartheid era SACOS-fold (SA Council on Sport) to those who sat in close proximity. 

Admittedly, my countrymen were surprised to hear that Alistair Coetzee was in fact a former South African National Player (scrumhalf) nicknamed “Toetie” during the apartheid years of greater sports isolation. 

Similarly they were (shocked?) to find out that latter-day national selector Peter Jooste used to captain the South African representative rugby side during the days of the former non-racial SARU/SACOS.

Of course I could’ve quoted several well-known names such as those of former Bok Analyst Irven October and player Dale Santon who both played under the old non-racial dispensation and who went on to serve SA Rugby in the new, unified body as staffer and player respectively.  All of these esteemed gentlemen used to play for the non-racial SARU side on the field called “The Kraal” near my home in Strand and opposite the primary school I attended at the time.

The list goes on.

I read in the South African papers today that South African Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile has called on the South African rugby authorities to “apologize to Maoris in New Zealand for excluding them from tours during the apartheid era for being nonwhite.”

Said Stofile: “An apology to those who were the victims of racial discrimination is in order. This cannot harm anyone who genuinely accepts that racial prejudice was an injustice then as it still is an injustice now.”

“I do believe that both the NZRU and the SARU should apologize for the folly of those who came before them. We cannot be expected to simply forget where we came from and the pain it caused many people,” he went on to say.

Here at BlitzBokke.com we say:

Yes Minister… apologies should be forthcoming.  However, first and foremost: Let’s educate the South Africa rugby public of, and properly celebrate the role played by those who received (and those who honorably chose to decline) ”honorary” Springbok blazers for their role in rugby during the years of sporting isolation.

Only then should SARU be big enough to make that apology to the Maoris.

Let’s set the record straight at home first.

Mike Jansen

Read “Stofile: SARU should say sorry” on Sport24 here

Former SARU (SACOS) fullback, Irven October 

Former SARU (SACOS) scrumhalf Alistair “Toetie” Coetzee 

The Sevens national selectors on Monday invited several players who excelled in this season’s Vodacom Cup to participate in an Emerging Sevens Training Camp which takes place in Stellenbosch from tomorrow to Friday (5- 7 May 2010).

An SA Emerging Sevens squad will be selected at the end of this month to participate in the annual Tusker Safari Sevens tournament which takes place in Nairobi, Kenya from the 4 – 6 June.

The Tuskers Safari Sevens is one of Kenya’s biggest parties (Pic: Nation.co.ke)

The Emerging Sevens squad will compete in trial games against the Springbok Sevens team who are currently at their training base in Stellenbosch preparing for the next leg of the 2009/ 2010 IRB Sevens World Series which takes place in London from the 22 – 23 May

Vodacom Western Province’s Danie Poolman, Hugo Kloppers and Johan Sadie, Platinum Leopards’ Wilhelm Koch and Riaan Swanepoel, Siviwe Magaba (Pumas) and Boland Kavaliers flyhalf Jacquin Jansen have all been selected to the 18-man squad. Sadie was also a member of the SA Under-20 squad that competed at last year’s IRB Junior World Championship in Japan.

Varsity Cup stars – Jonathan Adendorf and Tythan Adams who enjoyed outstanding performances for Maties in the 2010 competition, and Hanno Pieterse (Shimlas) have also been invited to attend the three-day camp.

The players invited to the Emerging Sevens Training Camp are:

 Tythan Adams (Western Province), Jonathan Adendorf (Western Province), Onke Dubase (Border), Jacques Erasmus (Golden Lions), Siyanda Grey (Eastern Province), Jacquin Jansen (Boland Kavaliers), Hugo Kloppers (Western Province), Wilhelm Koch (Leopards), Siviwe Magaba (Pumas), Vuyoliwethu Oscar Mazaka (Eastern Province), Lubabalo Mzwakali (Eastern Province), Buhle Ntsebeza (Border), Danie Poolman (Western Province), Hanno Pieterse (Free State), Johan Sadie (Western Province), Brian Shabangu (Kwazulu Natal), Louw Schabort (Western Province), Riaan Swanepoel (Leopards).

The Emerging Sevens Management team are:

Arthur Jansen (Coach), Vuyo Zangqa (Team Manager), Brent Martin (Physiotherapist).