Bok Women’s Sevens ready for action in Dubai
Springbok Women’s Sevens coach Renfred Dazel says his team is ready as can be to test themselves against some of the best sides in the world at the season-opening Dubai World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series on Thursday and Friday.
Newly appointed captain, Veroeshka Grain, and her team will face the Olympic gold medallists and defending tournament and series champions, Australia, in their first pool match on Thursday before taking on the USA and Russia, who finished the 2015/2016 World Series in sixth and seventh place respectively.
Dazel admitted that his charges faced a challenging task, but he said the tournament presented the perfect opportunity to measure themselves against some of the top teams a year-and-a-half after playing on the circuit as a core team.
“This opportunity means a lot to us,” said Dazel. “To play Australia, the USA and Russia, who are among the best teams in the world, in Dubai, and then possibly have a few invitational tournaments lined up earlier next year, I believe we will be a lot better prepared to play for a place on the World Series next year.
“That said, our main focus is on doing well in this tournament, and as a team we are as ready as can be to take to the field. We have been working hard at training since September to prepare for this tournament, and since then we won the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens tournament in Zimbabwe and finished third in the Hokkaido Sevens invitational tournament in Japan.
“This tournament, however, will provide a much tougher test for our team, which is exactly what we need to measure where we are in terms of our standards.”
Dazel also said that each tournament in the next four years will be important with an eye on possibly qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games, including the Dubai Sevens.
“Obviously the girls were disappointed that we did not meet the standards to participate in the Olympic Games this year, but personally I felt that they were not in the right space to compete on that level from a skills and conditioning perspective,” said Dazel.
“But that said, with the plans and processes that are in place, hopefully we will qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.”
Bok Women’s Sevens fixtures in Dubai (Thursday, 1 December – SA time):
15h50 – SA vs Australia
18h24 – SA vs USA
21h21 – SA vs Russia
Springbok Women’s Sevens squad:
Phumeza Gadu
Veroeshka Grain (captain)
Zenay Jordaan
Jacqueline Kriel
Nomsa Mokwai
Lamla Momoti
Zintle Mpupha
Marithy Pienaar
Nadine Roos
Mathrin Simmers
Christelene Steinhobel
Eloise Webb
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
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