Marco Botha wrote the following story about the Springbok Sevens’ newest recruit Boom Prinsloo in the Afrikaans-language daily Die Burger.  “Boom” is the Afrikaans word for “tree” and like any of South Africa’s hardiest and strongest trees… so is Boom Prinsloo.

Boom Prinsloo (Pic: www.uv.ac.za)

Unfortunately for our international readers, the story is in Afrikaans.  For the sake of the BlitzBokke fans who didn’t read the article, we will reproduce it here:

Shimlas se Boom skiet wortel by Blitsbokke

2010-07-13 22:23

Marco Botha

Stellenbosch – Die vurige Boom Prinsloo van die Shimlas se naam is so sinoniem met hardekwas-Varsitybeker-rugby soos die Springbok Bakkies Botha s’n met tugverhore.

Gister het Prinsloo, vanjaar se uitsoekspeler in dié studentereeks, sy eerste tree hier saam met die Springbok-sewesspan gegee.

Die Blitsbokke se voorbereiding vir hul nuwe seisoen, waaronder die Statebondspele in Nieu-Delhi, Indië, in Oktober, het gister op dreef gekom.  Die nasionale breier, Paul Treu, het heelwat nuwe gesigte met kort- en langtermyndoelwitte betrek. Onder hulle tel einste Prinsloo.

Die Varsitybeker-reeks het sedert sy ontstaan in 2008 ’n stewige gros spelers vir rugby se daarnamaals opgelewer. En ondanks die Universiteit van die Vrystaat se wisselvallige vertonings in vanjaar se reeks, het Prinsloo hom weekliks op agtsteman as ’n stewige, dog ook vaardige baldraer, uitgesonder.

“Dit gebeur selde dat ’n mens ’n speler kry wat baie goed gekondisioneer is én die regte vaardighede vir sewes het,” het Treu gesê.  “Boom is een van daardie spelers, en sy naam is beslis op ons lysie vir die groep wat vir die Statebondspele oorweeg kan word.”

Sy bynaam is Boom om ander redes as sy lengte, maar fris is hy beslis – nes die gesoute Sewesbok Frankie Horn.

Treu se Suid-Afrikaanse span is in die Wêreldsewesreeks in 2009-’10 soms te lig gevind. Prinsloo bied dus op die fisieke front vir die Blitse welkome diepte.

Spoed

Wat á la Errol Tobias “spoed en nogmaals spoed” betref, kan Bernardo Botha van die Goue Leeus hom ook in die Statebond-groep bevind.  Hy is al ’n geruime tyd in Treu se planne. Maar hy oefen nog sonder ’n Springbok op sy trui – soos diegene wat nog nie in ’n amptelike wedstryd vir Suid-Afrika se Blitsbokke gespeel het nie.  Waarskynlik nie meer vir lank nie.

Met die oog op volgende jaar is ook Mark Esterhuizen, ’n bieliesenter van die Ikeys, AJ Koortzen van die Vrystaat, Lubabalo Mtembu van die o.20-Bokkies en Thom Seabela van die Blou Bulle die eerste keer ook betrek.

- Die Burger

BlitzBokke.com is fortunate to have many female readers.  In fact, most of the correspondence and contributions that land in our Inboxes are from the ladies.

Therefore ladies, this one’s for you:

Branco Du Preez (2nd from left) after a Springbok U20′s training session (Pic: Springboks FaceBook) 

Yebo. That the Springbok Sevens’ own Branco Du Preez.

Note to self: That is what happens when you do this:

Branco working out. (Pic: Michael Hammond,Foto24)

If any of you need a washboard, contact Paul Treu in Stellenbosh!

Thanks to Yusuf Jackson, Media Liaison for the SA Under20 team for the picture.  We wish the BlitzBokke’s Branco Du Preez and Sampie Mastriet everything of the best as they leave for Argentina with the Springbok Under20 Team.

Happy Thursday Ladies!

Have you visited the BlitzBokke Community Forum yet? Click here

The Springbok Sevens’ first-ever Golf Day took place at the luxurious Arabella Resort and Golf Clubon Thursday.  Judging from the FaceBook chatter, the day was a resounding success; so much so that Mzwandile Stick has pledged to play more once he returns home to Port Elizabeth!

As to who the “winner” on the day was, well that secret is being kept under lock and key and we will have to wait for the coach to make it public on his website.

We do however know who the lucky fan was whose SMS was adjudged the winner in a competition run by SARU.  Well done to Gareth Turnbull whose prize included the opportunity to spend the day with coach Paul and the Boys.  Gareth also got to treat the Missus with a night at the fantastic Arabella Hotel.

Thanks to DeJongh for sending over the following pics from the day:

Gareth Turnbull with Paul Treu.

Dazel, Stick, Gareth Turnbull, Chase Minnaar, Frankie and Mpho all kitted out and ready to hit the greens.

The Springbok Sevens Golf Day takes place at the luxurious Arabella Golf Club on Thursday 29 April and SARU would like YOU to be there to share in the fun as the Boys’ hack up the luscious green Arabella fairways! (NOT!)

To promote their new email newsletter, BOKzine, the Union would like to offer 1 lucky BlitzBokke-supporter a place at this prestigious event and the chance to meet coach Paul Treu and his charges as well as to play a round of golf with them.

The prize includes a hamper, 18 holes of golf, half-way and an invitation to the prize-giving as well as one night’s accomodation here:

The magnificent Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa (Pic: Arabella Western Cape)

Continues below. SA readers click on the banner below to support BlitzBokke.com (Only a click needed)

To win these great prizes, all you have to do is click HERE and sign up for BOKzine.  SARU promises that if needed, the winner will be flown to Cape Town.

I am already a BOKzine subscriber, but with my luck with SARU & SASOL, I doubt they’ll fly me to Cape Town from Hong Kong.

Click HERE now and you’re in with a chance.

Scanning through the online editions of the Sunday newspapers back home, I was glad to find the following story in today’s edition of KaapRapport.  Unfortunately for our international readers it’s only available in Afrikaans, and after today’s loooong day watching the Adelaide Sevens at Delaney’s Irish Bar in Kowloon, I’m too nackered to even attempt to translate!  Guinness is a sponsor of the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens, so what can I say… I’ll support anybody who supports Sevens rugby to the best of my “abilities“!  Slainte!

Allow me to say this about the article though: 

In a nutshell, the article by Avril Fielies celebrates Branco Du Preez’s road from being the child of a farm-worker in the town of George (where the SA Sevens is held) to his current life as a jet-setting Sevens rugby-player.  It also tells of how this humble player is using his talent to augment his father’s income as a way of thanking his parents and of how he is planning to plough back his skills and experiences into the local community.

You’re an inspiration, Branco Du Preez. 

(The original article by Avril Fielies can be found here)

Branco Du Preez (Pic: Michael Hammond Foto24 Cape)

Branco speel pad oop van Suid-Kaap tot in wêreldstede

Van plaaswerkerskind tot wêreldburger – danksy sewesrugby. Dís hoe Branco du Preez (19) se opgang in sewesrugby verloop.

Du Preez is trots op sy plaaswortels. “Ek het grootgeword op die plaas Sink se Brug buite George­ en my pa, Pieter, werk steeds daar.”

Hy het SWD-kleure verwerf toe hy in 2003 vir die o.13-Cravenweek- en in 2006 vir die Grant Khomo-span gekies is.

In 2007 en 2008 het hy vir die Griffons se o.18-span gespeel.

Ná matriek aan die Hoër­skool PW Botha op George is hy na die rugby-akademie op Virginia in die Vrystaat. Die afgelope twee jaar is hy by die Blou Bulle gekontrakteer.

“Ek weet die mense spot altyd en sê die SWD-spelers is elke jaar by die Cravenweek op die shopping list, maar ek glo as jy die kans kry om jou talent uit te bou, hoekom nie na ’n ander provinsie skuif nie?

“My paadjie na die Suid-Afrikaanse Sewesspan het vroeër vanjaar begin toe ek vir die SA Studentespan in Singapoer uitgedraf het. Paul Treu, Sewes-afrigter, se Vipers het ook daar gespeel en hy het my genooi om die toer na Argentinië mee te maak.”

Treu het hom toe ingesluit in sy span vir die Internasionale Rugbyraad-toernooie in Las Vegas, Amerika, en Wellington, Nieu-Seeland. Hy was die afgelope naweek in Adelaide, Australië, en neem volgende week aan die toernooi in Hongkong deel.

“Toe Treu my bel, was ek verbaas en opgewonde om deel van die Blitsbokke te wees. Ek het ook geweet dat dit nou ’n nuwe ball game is en dat ek sal moet fokus op my spel.

Te jonk vir Vegas se casino’s!

“Dit was lekker om in Las Vegas te speel, maar ek moes gaan slaap terwyl die ander spelers die casino toe is. Ek was te jonk om te gaan dobbel!

“In Wellington het die senuwees geknaag, maar ná die eerste wedstryd was ek reg en het net op my spel gekonsentreer.

“Ek dink my vermoë om goed aan te val vanaf die losspel en vaste fasette het Treu beïndruk. Cecil (Afrika, spanmaat) het my baie gehelp met my spel as ’n sweeper omdat hy self in daai posisie gespeel het. Ek speel nou met meer vertroue agter die oond.

“Dis my werk om kalm te bly op die veld en te sorg dat goeie en skoon balle aan die snellers gegee word.

“As daar een aspek is van my spel waaraan ek nog moet werk, is dit my voorbereiding. Ek weet wat om te doen in ’n situasie op die veld, maar hink op twee gedagtes en dan kom ek gewoonlik tweede. Teen die All Blacks en Fidji kan jy nie sulke blapse bekostig nie en ek sal aan my besluitneming en selfvertroue moet werk.”

Sy doelwit is om so lank as moontlik in die Blitsbokke te bly en om ’n kontrak los te speel.

Sy pa het ook rugby gespeel en sy ma, Maryna, netbal.

“Met my sport kan ek dinge by die huis vir my ouers makliker maak. My bydrae kom handig te pas noudat my jonger broer, Delian (17), ook opgang maak in rugby by die Hoërskool Louis Botha in die Vrystaat.

“My pa verdien nie ’n plaas se geld nie en ek is bly dat ek sy rol as broodwinner ’n bietjie kan vergemaklik. Dis my manier om my ouers te bedank.

“Wanneer ek eendag my stewels ophang, wil ek my kennis op die plase in die George-omgewing gaan terugploeg. Daar is baie talent op plase, iemand moet net moeite doen om die juwele te gaan soek.”

Dié juwele wil hy aanmoedig om nie hul lewe op dwelms en alkohol weg te gooi nie.

avril.fielies@rapport.co.za

The BlitzBokke return to their Stellenbosch HQ tomorrow to resume their preparation for the next two legs of the IRB Sevens World Series.

Coach Paul Treu has named a 22-man training squad in preparation for the Adelaide Sevens and a week later, the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

In naming his squad who will report to Stellenbosh tomorrow, Treu added three new names to his core squad, namely Bryan Shabangu (The Sharks), Marcel Brache (Ikeys) and Sampie Mastriet (Vodacom Blue Bulls).

Stellies here I come! The Blue Bulls’ Sampie Mastriet

South Africa will kick off their quest for a third successive Adelaide crown in Pool C alongside USA Sevens champions Samoa, France and Japan in the 19-21 March event. A week later their pool opponents will be Kenya, Zimbabwe and Korea at the Hong Kong Sevens. The defending World Series champions are currently seventh on the log.

Simphiwe Brian Shabangu (Pic: SARU)

Renfred Dazel, a key member of last season’s championship-winning team, was not considered because of a knee injury. The injury has sidelined the play-maker since the end of last season.

The “gherkin” ? WTF?  UCT’s Marcel Brache (Pic: uctrfc.co.za)

Powerful back stalwart Ryno Benjamin will continue his rehabilitation in Stellenbosch this week after he missed the last day’s action in Las Vegas due to a damaged knee ligament.

The SA Sevens’ management team will continue to monitor the recovery of captain, Paul Delport (ankle) and veteran Neil Powell (shoulder).

The Springbok Sevens training squad to assemble tomorrow in Stellenbosch is:

Chase Minnaar, Kyle Brown, Frankie Horne, Shaun Venter, Cecil Afrika, Ryno Benjamin, MJ Mentz, Chris Dry, Mpho Mbiyozo, JW Jonker, Mzwandile Stick, Jonathan Adendorf, Paul Delport, Marius Schoeman, Neil Powell (all contracted to SARU),

Hoffman Maritz (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs), Branco du Preez (Vodacom Blue Bulls) , Steven Hunt (Vodacom Western Province), Phillip van der Walt (Vodacom Cheetahs U21), Bryan Shabangu (The Sharks), Marcel Brache (Ikeys), Sampie Mastriet (Vodacom Blue Bulls).

Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu on Monday included nine newcomers in the national training squad. 

Along with the contracted group, these players will attend a week long training camp in Stellenbosch.  Treu invited the following players:

Braam Gerber (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Conrad Hoffman (Vodacom Western Province), Steven Hunt (Vodacom Western Province Under-21), Trompie Nontshinga (GWK Griquas), Chris Dry and Makholokoe Ramashala (Free State Under-21), Nhlanganiso Sibanda (Free State Under-19), Bernardo Botha (Lions Under-21) and Alshaun Bock (Hamilton Rugby Club).

Conrad Hoffmann (Pic. & Profile WP Rugby)

Hoffman and Nontshinga represented Western Province and Griquas during the 2009 Absa Currie Cup competition while Bock starred for Hamilton during their successful SAA National Club Championship campaign on Monday. 

Nontshinga will join the camp on Wednesday, while the rest of the newcomers underwent fitness and conditioning training at the Sports Science Institute at Newlands in Cape Town on Monday.

 “We used the day to do the medical check-ups and also had all players undergo fitness and conditioning testing,” said Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu.  “We will have on-field training on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at our base camp in Stellenbosch and on Saturday we will play a few warm up games at Brookside in Claremont.”

He added, “After this weekend, our next assignment will be the Middelburg Sevens (31 October) and the Singapore Cricket Club Sevens, where we are the defending champions.”

Meanwhile, some of the players will attend a fundraiser called Moyo Models for Africa on Wednesday, 21st October at the nearby Spier estate.  Moyo Models for Africa aims to raise funds to benefit local impoverished communities.

Mzwandile Wanky Stick and his Springbok Sevens “Class of 2008/2009″ are today on the cusp of achieving what has not yet been achieved by a South African Sevens Rugby side… becoming champions of the IRB Sevens World Series. 

When they do, whether it will be this weekend at the 2009 London Sevens or next weekend during the Scotland Sevens, they will undoubtedly cement their title of the Greatest Springbok Sevens Team of all time.

Coach Paul Treu, on his website, has a feature where you can meet one of the players.  We thought we’d latch onto this hype and introduce you to the skipper of the soon-to-be Greatest Bok Sevens side ever:

Please meet: Mzwandile “Stokololo” Stick.

You can read more about Mzwandile Stick on his SA Rugby Profile here.  In the meantime, have a listen to an interview with the mecurial BlitzBok Captain here:

All the best for the next 2 weekend, Stokololo. It’s within your grasp.

Do it.