Sunday 6 Dec, 2009 7Days, Dubai

Paul Treu has called on his South Africa side to get over their Dubai debacle by proving to the rest of sevens rugby they are still the team to beat.

The defending Dubai and World Series champions were dumped out of the tournament (Cup competition) 17-5 by Fiji at the quarter-final stage. And keen to get over that mauling the Springboks coach has urged his boys to bounce back in their home tournament at George.

“You don’t get too many second chances in life and this is ours so we need to take it,” Treu told 7DAYS.

“It’s a long season, it’s not the end. Next week we’re going to George and hopefully we can get some good home support like we did last year and can do well again.”

South Africa won the first two tournaments of last year’s World Series and never looked back as they romped to the overall title six months ago.  But with some new faces in the line-up they struggled against the fantastic Fijians.

Mpho Mbiyozo storms through the Welsh defence (Pic: IRB/Chris Jelf)

However, Treu remains confident his side can strike back, starting on home soil next weekend.

“We’re building for the future. It’s not just about this game, this week or this season,” Treu added.  “It’s about continuing to improve as a team and giving youngsters like Cecil Afrika game time.  “The experience he’s learned now is great – it’s invaluable.  “He made one mistake against Fiji but he won’t do that again in other tournaments.

“So long as you keep on learning and improving as a player and building as a team – that’s the most important thing. It’s not doom and gloom. It’s only the first tournament of eight.

“It’s a new season and a new team.  This team must find it’s own path and own destiny and go together. The dynamics have changed. We cannot keep on competing with the team of the past.”

South Africa’s miserable weekend was compounded as they crashed to a shock 7-0 defeat to Australia in the Plate Final last night.

That defeat leaves them with plenty to work to do. Wales came away with silverware as they beat Zimbabwe 38-7 in the Bowl Final, while Russia saw off Portugal 17-14 for the Shield.

Unlike in 2008, when his “golden boot” saw the BlitzBokke take the Dubai Sevens Cup title in dramatic fashion, this time around the prolific kicker couldn’t help his team win the spoils in the desert city.

South Africa succumbed to a Australian flock of young upstarts in the Plate final of the Dubai Sevens (0-7)

However, Mzwandile Stick, who had to deal with some desperate tugging of his dreads during the tournament, had some more heroics in his box of tricks.  In the final seconds of the first game of the tournament against World Champions Wales, he produced a magnificent display of kick-and-chase.  In the process he secured the IRB Sevens World Series’ Play of the Day:

Any youngsters with ambitions to play for the BlitzBokke at the Olympics in 2016, watch and learn.

New Zealand have kicked their 2009/10 IRB Sevens World Series campaign off to the perfect start by winning the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens, beating Samoa in a scintillating final.

Back to the Sevens world order of old?

In doing so they win their first IRB Sevens event in 18 months to take an early lead in the new World Series with 24 points, ahead of Samoa (20), England and Fiji (16 apiece). Reigning World Series champions South Africa kicked their season off in disappointing fashion, beaten by a superb performance from young Australia in the final of the Plate.

Australia claims famous Plate victory

Australia’s youngsters claimed a superb victory against the full-time Sevens professionals of South Africa to take the Plate trophy in Dubai.

Earlier South Africa won an all-African affair against Kenya, coming from behind to score from a clever cross kick, before Michael O’Connor’s young Australians hit back from the disappointment of their late loss against Samoa to overwhelm a strong Argentina team.

Brother-in-arms. Zar Lawrence leads the traditional Haka for New Zealand (Pic: IRB/Chris Jelf)

Trusted All Black core

Gordon Tietjens’ trusted core of captain DJ Forbes, Zar Lawrence, Lote Raikabula and Tomasi Cama played their hearts out for the kiwis as the men in black punished every blemish in a fine final by the proud Samoans, themselves starting afresh under new coach Stephen Betham.

New Zealand and Samoa each performed heroics in winning through to the final with fine respective wins over Fiji and England in front of 40,000 spectators at ‘the Sevens’ stadium.

Inspired by captain DJ Forbes and his brother in arms Zar Lawrence, New Zealand blitzed Fiji in a supreme show of aggressive and confrontational Sevens to win the first semi final 19-0.

Samoa then started like a steam train against England, quickly establishing a lead with Alafoti Fa’osiliva and new captain Lolo Lui outstanding, and applying the pressure throughout to deny England, who hit back but could not overhaul the islanders’ lead.

The last time the Samoans faced New Zealand in a Cup final, they beat them to win their first IRB Sevens Cup final in Wellington in February 2007.

Video from IRB.com

IRB Sevens Series log

The points-table after the Dubai Sevens are:

New Zealand   (24)

Samoa               (20)

England            (16)

Fiji                      (16)

Australia          (12)

South Africa     (8)

Argentina         (6)

Kenya                (6)

Wales                (4)

Fiji ended South Africa’s plans for a successful Dubai Sevens title defence when they won a brilliant contest 17-5 at The Sevens rugby stadium in the United Arab Emirates’ city of Dubai earlier today.

South Africa, who raced through the pool stages unbeaten, started the match in great form and was impressive during the opening stages. It was therefore no surprise when Ryno Benjamin scored after a good build up.

Fiji hit back just before the break when star attacker William Ryder dotted down to level the scores at halftime.

They forced the South Africans into errors during an epic second half display, scoring two more tries through Watisoni Votu and Jiuta Lufumailagi to seal a deserved victory.  When BlitzBokke speedster Rayno Benjamin knocked on a pass when SA was on the attack, it was virtually game-over for the men in Green & Gold.

Paul Treu, the SA coach, praised the Fijians but added he was pleased with the overall form of his team.

“Fiji is just so dangerous on attack and they forced us into making crucial errors inside our own half. I’m pleased with the intensity and the commitment of the guys. Protection of the ball and taking your chances when it matters, are two crucial elements of Sevens rugby and Fiji was just better on the day,” explained Treu.

New Zealand defeated Kenya 17-14 in their quarter-final clash. England got the better of Argentina to win 17-12 in extra-time, while Samoa beat Australia 28-27.

The Springbok Sevens now face Kenya in the Plate semi-finals later today.

The Cup semi-final line-up for later today:

Fiji vs. New Zealand

England vs. Samoa

Plate-semi-finals:

South Africa vs. Kenya

Argentina vs. Australia

Defending champions South Africa will face the might of Fiji on Saturday morning in the quarter-finals of the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens tournament.

The BlitzBokke are aiming for a fourth tournament victory in six years in Dubai and they are also the current IRB Sevens World Series champions.

In the feature match of the evening fixture list on Friday, South Africa outclassed a youthful Australia 29-0. The Springbok Sevens qualified for the quarter-finals in unbeaten fashion after they also won their earlier Pool A matches against Sevens World Cup holders Wales (28-14) and hosts, Arabian Gulf (38-7).

BlitzBokke speedster, Rayno Benjamin

South Africa raced into a commanding 19-0 lead at halftime against the Aussies after they hardly lost possession during a commanding opening spell. The powerful Ryno Benjamin scored a quick-fire double to hand his team a deserved 14-0 lead within three minutes.

Captain Paul Delport then scored the third try in the corner and on stroke of halftime to stretch the lead to 19-0.

After the break Mzwandile Stick, the hero of last season’s Dubai success, added two more tries to stretch his personal scoring tally in the World Series to 76 tries overall.

Delport said his team knows they are in for a tough examination against attacking maestros Fiji.

“The match against Fiji will be very hard. They are very physical and punish you with breathtaking speed on the attack, so we will have to up for it. We are very pleased with our performances today and we knew that we could not afford to give the speedy Australians any possession,” said Delport.

The first tournament of the 2009/2010 IRB Sevens World Series kicks off in the desert city tomorrow.  If you’re fortunate to have access to South Africa’s Supersport (channel 6) on DSTV, you can catch all 24 pool games tomorrow as well as the knock-out rounds on Saurday LIVE.

(South Africa is GMT +2 and all times below are listed as SA local.  Example: for Hong Kong time, add 6 hours)

Friday December 4, 2009

07:10-08:45 SS6 IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Games 1 – 4

08:45-10:20 SS6 IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Games 5 – 8  (SA vs. Wales Game 7)

10:50-12:20 SS6 IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Games 9 – 12

12:20-13:55 SS6 IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Games 13 – 16  (SA vs. Arabian Gulf Game 15)

14:25-16:25 SS6 IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Games 17 – 20

16:25-18:15 SS6 IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Games 21 – 24  (SA vs. AUS Game 24)

Saturday December 5, 2009

07:10-08:45   SS6   IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Bowl QF

08:45-10:15   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Cup QF

10:15-11:00   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Shield SF

11:00-11:40   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Bowl SF

11:40-12:35   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Plate SF

(16:20-17:10 CSN   IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Cup SF)

16:20-17:10   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Cup SF

(17:10-17:40 CSN   IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Shield Final)

17:10-17:40   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Shield Final

(17:40-18:10 CSN   IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Bowl Final)

17:40-18:10   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Bowl Final

(18:10-18:40 CSN   IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Plate Final)

18:10-18:40   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Plate Final

(18:40-19:30 CSN   IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Cup Final)

18:40-19:30   SS6    IRB 7s World Series: Dubai Sevens – Cup Final

Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter at Dubai’s Gulf News, reports on coach Paul Treu’s expectations on this weekend’s Dubai Sevens, at the Emirate’s purpose-built The Sevens. Picture of Paul Treu by Oliver Clarke/Gulf News:

Paul Treu wants South Africa to emulate the title defending performances of England and New Zealand when they take to the field for this week’s Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens at The Sevens.

The Blitsbokke, 19-12 victors over England in the final last year, have won the title three times, but have failed to defend the trophy on two previous occasions — in 2003 and 2006, when they were dethroned by England and New Zealand, respectively.

Coincidentally, the English and Kiwis are the only two other sides to have successfully defended their Dubai titles. England followed up its 2004 win with victory in the 2005 edition, while the Kiwis won the tournament four years on the trot from 1999 until 2003.

South Africa are the current IRB World Sevens Series champions and should they win in Dubai, the start of the 2009-10 Series, on Saturday, Treu’s men will once again be favourites in the running for the world title. The Boks dominated the series last year following their victory in Dubai and Treu knows the kind of momentum that could be generated if things fall into place in the UAE.

BlitzBokke coach Paul Treu in Dubai this week (Pic: Oliver Clarke/Gulf News)

“We would like to win it this year because it would mean defending the title, which we have never done before. We have won it three times in the last few years, but we’ve never managed to retain the Dubai title and if we can achieve it, it will be another box we can tick off,” Treu said.

South Africa are red hot here not just because of their World Series-winning exploits, but moreover because Treu had just two new faces that needed to be integrated in his 12-man squad, while the rest of the teams are virtually new-look sides. South Africa get their campaign under way against Pool A rivals Wales, with Australia and hosts Arabian Gulf the other sides in the group.

Treu, though, is cautious, as he says in Sevens “you never know”.

“It is going to be tough, definitely. All the other teams know we are the team to beat because we are No 1. Of course we’ve set ourselves targets for the season, but we’re not thinking any further than playing our first game against Wales and we’ll just take it one game at a time and see how it goes.

“We have a strong team with nine of the players who won here last year and claimed the World Series. We have one player who is returning after playing overseas for a year and we only have two new players so it’s definitely going well. Most of our players have been there and they’ve done it and this is going to help the young players.

“I think last year we were a lot fitter than the other teams, but this year the others seem to be at a different level; they’re probably fitter than us, but South Africa are ready to challenge the world.”

The luscious green desert pitch of Dubai isn’t the happy hunting ground that it used to be for BlitzBokke veteran  Marius Schoeman.  SA Rugby last night announced that Schoeman has had to withdraw from the SA Sevens side due to a calf injury.  The BlitzBokke start their title defence in Dubai on Friday.

Now you see him, now you don’t

The 31 year-old player, known as “Shoes” to his friends, was forced off the pitch when he injured his right wrist during the last Dubai Sevens and also sat out the George Sevens a week later in December 2008. 

Eina! Physio Hugh Everson escorts Shoes off the Dubai pitch.

Schoeman’s bad (Dubai) fortunes continued when he also attended the Sevens Rugby World Cup in the desert city, this time as a spectator.

He was flown in for the final tournament of the 2008/2009 IRB Sevens World Series in Edinburgh as cover for the Freestate speedster Robert Ebersohn who was called up for national duty in Japan.  South Africa was crowned as Series Champions after this tournament and Schoeman announced his retirement riding the crest of a long and illustrious career.

Thankfully he has since had a rethink and was included as part of coach Paul Treu’s plans for the 2009/2010 season.  The BlitzBokke arrived in Dubai last week to prepare for this weekend’s tournament.  Sadly, Marius Schoeman sustained the injury during a warm up session at the Arabian Ranches. Vodacom Blue Bulls Under-21 winger Deon Helberg has been called up as his replacement.

Helberg was a member of the SA Vipers team who played over the weekend in Sri Lanka and recently starred for the SA Students in Singapore. 

The Springbok Sevens kick off the defence of their IRB Sevens World Series title against Sevens World Cup winners Wales on Friday morning.

GulfNews, an English-language newspaper in Dubai carried the following story today:

(Cheers Louisa & Susan for the link and newspaper cut-out)

Boks, English confident ahead of Sevens action

Dubai: South Africa skipper Paul Delport feels his side are in mint condition ahead of their defence of the Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens title at The Sevens.

The Boks beat England 19-12 in a pulsating final that kick-started their year-long domination and ended up with them being crowned 2008-09 IRB Sevens World Series Champions.

Delport announced his team had “acclimatised well to conditions here” and barring a few loose ends which are being tied up, the South African camp is in pretty good shape to launch its assault at the 40-year-old tournament being held from December 3 to 5.

Paul Treu’s star-studded side are once again among the favourites for the Dubai title and will start their campaign out of Pool A with Australia, Wales and hosts Arabian Gulf for company.

Delport said: “Training has been going well. We arrived a few days ago and it makes such a difference arriving a bit early because we have had a chance to acclimatise.

“All of the hard training was done before we left South Africa so we’re just working on a few more small things before things kick off on Friday.”

Counting on fan support

Meanwhile, England were drawn in Pool C alongside Kenya, United States and Russia and coach Ben Ryan is confident of a good showing as his side is looking “fresh” ahead of the tournament. Ryan’s confidence stems from the fact that his side’s fitness levels have peaked ahead of the competition and he feels the humongous support enjoyed by the English will stand them in good stead.

“I get more excited every year; we’re at the start line in Dubai and it gives England every chance with the support here so [it seems] positive,” said Ryan.

“We haven’t had any tournaments to warm up and some of the other teams have. Our first game will be the first time the new team gets to run out together, but I’m excited.”

Despite his excitement, Ryan feels world champions South Africa will be the team to beat at The Sevens. “They [South Africa] probably are the team to beat, but when you get to the top the list of teams able to win is very long, whether it’s South Africa, Fiji, ourselves, New Zealand, Argentina, Samoa, Kenya — they’re all capable of rolling you over and that list gets longer every year.”

(Story by Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter, Gulf News)

I don’t know if it is just the start of the media “phsycological war” prior to the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series kick-off in Dubai, but England Sevens coach Ben Ryan thinks that (defending champions) South Africa is still the team to beat this time around.  Listen to his thoughts on the season as well as the inaugural IRB Sevens World Sevens tournament in the desert city:

(Video from IRB)