All The News

The abbreviated version of the game, Sevens, is ready to challenge its big brother, the 15-man code, as a major international brand and establish its own foothold on the world stage.

This is the view of Springbok coach Paul Treu and his championship team, as they prepare to defend their International Rugby Board World Sevens Series crown.

Speaking to Rugby Rugby at the launch of the 2009/10 season in Cape Town on Tuesday, Treu said the decision to include Sevens in the Olympic Games from 2016 will help raise the profile of the fast-growing Sevens game even more.

The Springbok Sevens squad, to be captained by scrumhalf Paul Delport, include nine members of the victorious 2008/09 team - which won the first two tournaments on the circuit, in Dubai and George, before going on to claim the IRB Sevens World Series crown.

Treu, who feels his team is psychologically better equipped for the rigours of the IRB Series, said the abbreviated version of the game will show "phenomenal" growth in the next few years.

"I do think so, the Olympic Games inclusion has change a lot of things," Treu said, when asked if Sevens can challenge the 15-man version as a major brand.

"We will be naive to think that 20 years from now Sevens will be a game that is only played socially," he told Rugby Rugby.

"The potential is there and the manner in which the Sevens game will grow over the next few years will be phenomenal.

"The rest of the world can't compete with the top eight teams in the 15-man code, but they can compete at Sevens.

"It is an opportunity for them to win a medal for their country and it will be a huge honour for those guys to represent their country on such a big stage. I certainly do think the potential is there [for Sevens to challenge the 15-man code as a top brand].

"The IRB might be pleasantly surprised at what they have just created [with the Olympic inclusion].

"Obviously 15s will remain the traditional sport with it's strong support base, but Sevens has the potential shake off the Cinderella tag as a social game."

Treu was supported in this view by Sevens veteran Mpho Mbiyozo, one of the heroes of the Boks' victory match last season.

"Definitely, I do believe that," the 23-tournament veteran told Rugby Rugby, when asked if Sevens as a brand can challenge the 15-man version.

"Worldwide Sevens is huge ... absolutely humongous," Mbiyozo said.

"Here in South Africa we are slowly but surely building it, we are surely but slowly picking it up. We will get to a stage where we will compete [with the 15-man brand].

"And, as Andy Marinos [acting MD of SA Rugby] said, we are trying to disassociate from the 15-man code and be our own brand.

"It will definitely grow in the years building up to 2016 - especially in South Africa Sevens will become something major, as we will be a great prospect of an Olympic gold medal."

Treu revealed that his team is far better prepared this year that at the start of the 2008/09 season - when they won the opening rounds in Dubai and George.

"A year ago when we went to Dubai and George we were 'hoping' to do well - then we won those first two and went on to win the [IRB] series," Treu said, adding" But this year is going to be very different.

"Everyone is going to expect us to win ... no doubt the pressure is on.

"However, when won the first tournament in Dubai we became the top team in the [IRB] series and we retained that No.1 spot right through to the last tournament in Scotland. Through that we learnt how to deal with the pressure.

"We also learnt from our mistakes, we learnt why we lost games in the past. It is important to know why you lost, that is when you can focus on the stuff that worked for you. If we stick to those principles and don't forget where we come from and how tough it has been in the past, we will move on.

"The players have learnt to handle the pressure ... psychologically they are much tougher than what we have been in the past."

Treu also revealed that the team's build-up this year had been different to last season.

"Last year we had an intense three-week training camp [before the opening tournament in Dubai], now we've had a few months and we've played in some tournaments as well.

"Our players were more running fit [last year], this year we had more tournaments - in Windhoek Middelburg, some local tournaments and we played in Singapore.

"We trained less, but our match fitness is definitely a lot better."

Treu revealed that the "psychological preparation" will pick up once the team gets to Dubai.

They are flying out Wednesday and from Thursday, over the weekend and next week they will focus on the opening tournament.

"Our target is our first match in Dubai, we are not looking any further than our first match against Wales," Treu said, adding: "From then we will take it one game at a time, one tournament at a time. We will focus on topping our pool on Day One at every tournament and treat every game on Day Two as a final."

While his team does include a few exciting newcomers -  such as Cecil Afrika and JW Jonker - Treu is happy that he has continuity in the 12-man squad that heads to Dubai this week.

"Any coach would want continuity in his groups and it has been a problem in Sevens in the past, but the past two years we have had more continuity.

"We are taking nine players along to the first two tournament [Dubai and George] that have been there before.

"That experience and continuity creates a measure of calmness - that is particularly important for the new players that are coming in."

By Jan de Koning