Bok Women Sevens on core team mission
Springbok Women Sevens coach Renfred Dazel on Thursday expected a tough onslaught in the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series Qualifier in Hong Kong starting on Friday and said his team had to be at their best to secure a spot as one of the core teams in the 2014/2015 World Series.
The top four teams in the competition will book their places automatically among the core teams in the World Series, meaning South Africa has to advance to the semifinals to achieve this objective. New Zealand, Australia, Russia, England, Spain, USA and Canada have already secured their places on the circuit.
The extra incentive for the participating teams is that the top four sides on World Series log table at the end of the 2014/2015 season will automatically book their places in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
The Springbok Women Sevens will face France in their opening pool match in the early hours of Friday morning, followed by clashes against China and Mexico.
“This tournament is a case of all or nothing for the team,” said Dazel. “We have been working toward this goal since late last year, so the players realise the importance of qualifying for the World Series. If we achieve this, it will not only ensure that we are exposed to top-class competition consistently, it will also afford us an opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games. This, however, will require a massive effort from the squad because we will line up against quality teams, who will have their sights set on the same prize.”
The coach was pleased with the team’s preparation, despite having limited time to prepare due to the IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup in August. Nine of the 12 players in the squad featured in the World Cup, while Dazel served as the backline coach. These commitments left the Springbok Sevens team with only two weeks to prepare for the tournament before their departure to Hong Kong last Sunday.
“We would have certainly liked to have more time to prepare for the Qualifier,” said Dazel. “But I am very pleased with the quality of the training sessions we had at our two-week training camp in Stellenbosch and in Hong Kong this week. The intensity and attitude displayed by the players is exactly what will be required for us to be successful at the Qualifier, so hopefully the players can transfer that onto the field. Every player is aware of the high stakes for the team in the next two days, so they do not need extra motivation. They are also aware that they will have to play their best rugby of the season to secure a semifinal berth and to work themselves into a good position to win the tournament.”
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