The Springbok Sevens will be in action again this year at the Middelburg Sevens, where they will face the likes of IRB Sevens Rugby World Cup holders Wales.
The popular tournament takes place from 20-22 September and apart from Wales, will also see the Blitzbokke in action against neighbouring countries Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. Paul Treu’s Springbok Sevens usually uses this tournament as their main warm-up event for the HSBC Sevens World Series campaign.
Middelburg High School will again host this festival of Sevens rugby, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year.
Organisers are aiming for 10 000 spectators and fans will be able to see action in no less than five different categories, ranging from men’s teams to women participants, high school teams as well as the junior Pumatjies.
Joining the Blitzbokke, Wales, Zimbabwe and Namibia in the senior men’s section are the teams of the Pumas, Blue Bulls, SA Defence Force, SA Buffaloes as well as the North Region Rhinos.
All the teams will participate in a coaching clinic featuring 200 local school rugby players.
The Springboks will get their international season underway on 13-14 October when the first tournament of the 2012/13 HSBC Sevens World Series will take place on the Gold Coast in Australia.
Two more tournaments will follow at the beginning of December, in Dubai and Nelson Mandela Bay, before the break for the festive season, where after the teams will resume action in February at the Wellington and Las Vegas tournaments.