Get to know your SA Sevens Team for the Hong Kong Sevens-your Blitzbokke!!
Frankie Horne (Forward and Captain)
Physical: 1.83m & 105kg; DOB: 24/02/1983, Port Elizabeth
Education: Hugenote Primary & Hugenote HS (Wellington)
Other Squads: Boland Cavaliers (Under-20, Vodacom Cup, Absa Currie Cup)
Tournaments: Debut – Dubai 2007/08, 46 tournaments, 220 points (44 tries)
Fast facts: Horne has not missed a tournament since his debut in Dubai in 2007 and is South Africa’s most experienced Sevens player of all time. His favourite food is meat and he loves to listen to the music of Rise Against.
As the most experience player in the squad, Horne is also the captain and takes charge in matches with a brutal defence. The ever-present veteran will be invaluable if the Springbok Sevens are to win both these tournaments for the first time ever.
Paul Delport (Back)
Physical: 1.72m & 80kg; DOB: 13/10/1984, Cape Town
Education: SACS Primary & SACS (Cape Town), University of Cape Town
Other Squads: Western Province (Coca-Cola Craven Week; Under-20, Vodacom Cup; Absa Currie Cup); Cats (Vodacom Super Rugby); Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby); South Africa (Under-19, Under-21)
Tournaments: Debut – Dubai 2008/09, 28 tournaments, 204 points (40 tries, 2 conversions)
Fast facts: Delport was captain of the South African Under-21 team that won the IRB Junior World Cup in 2005. His favourite food is his mom’s and he loves to listen to rap and Hip Hop.
Delport suffered numerous career crippling injuries that thwarted his progress. He overcame those with incredible tenacity and endurance and is now finally enjoying the freedoms of an injury free career in a code that justify his skills, vision and play-making prowess.
Stephan Dippenaar (Back)
Physical: 1.88m & 94kg; DOB: 03/01/1988, Moorreesburg
Education: Dirkie Uys Primary & Paul Roos Gymnasium (Stellenbosch)
Other Squads: Western Province (Schools Academy, Under-19); Blue Bulls (Under-19, Under-21, Vodacom Cup; Absa Currie Cup); Bulls (Vodacom Super Rugby); South Africa (Under-19, Junior Boks)
Tournaments: Debut – Wellington 2011/12, 10 tournaments, 85 points (17 tries)
Fast facts: Dippenaar has won a Vodacom Super Rugby title with the Bulls. His favourite food is pizza and steak and he loves to listen to rock music.
One of the young starts of South African rugby, Dippenaar’s decision to move to the sevens code was a massive boost to the code. The player’s experience at Vodacom Super Rugby level will benefit the squad and one can expect of this friendly and outgoing player to be a very popular squad member amongst the fans.
Chris Dry (Forward)
Physical: 1.91m & 98kg; DOB: 13/02/1988, Cape Town
Education: Grey Primary, Grey College (Bloemfontein), Central University of Technology (CUT), Bloemfontein.
Other Squads: Free State (Schools Academy, Under-19, Under-21, Vodacom Cup, Absa Currie Cup); University of the Free State (FNB Varsity Cup)
Tournaments: Debut – Adelaide 2009/10, 24 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)
Fast facts: Chris plays as a loose forward in the fifteens code. His favourite food is lamb ribs and he loves to listen to the music of David Guetta and Hillsong United.
Dry will be one of the core players for coach Paul Treu in this series. A very mobile and strong player, Dry brings physicality, line-out skills and grunt to the team. His experience and leadership will be an added bonus. He has scored 17 tries this season.
Branco du Preez (Back)
Physical: 1.66m & 75kg; DOB: 08/05/1990, George
Education: Van der Hoven Primary & PW Botha College (George), Harmony Sports Academy, Virginia, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Pretoria
Other Squads: Griffons (Coca-Cola Craven Week, Under-19); TUT (FNB Varsity Cup), Blue Bulls (Under-19, Under-21), South Africa (Under-20)
Tournaments: Debut – Wellington (2009/10), 22 tournaments, 349 points (38 tries, 78 conversions)
Fast facts: He loves pizza and listening to jazz. Du Preez played scrumhalf and centre for the Junior Boks in the IRB Junior World Championships in 2010.
Du Preez has become a real stalwart in the squad, with his ability to play anywhere in the backs a great benefit. Dynamite comes in small packages and Du Preez certainly provides just that with his explosive pace and lightning breaks. He missed the first part of the season though injury and it was no co-incidence that the BlitzBokke won in Las Vegas upon his return to the squad.
Cornal Hendricks (Back)
Physical: 1.89m & 90kg; DOB: 18/04/1988, Paarl
Education: Wellington Primary & Berg River HS (Wellington)
Other Squads: Boland Kavaliers (Under-19, Vodacom Cup, Absa Currie Cup); SA Barbarians South (England Inbound Tour)
Tournaments: Debut – Port Elizabeth (2010/11), 12 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)
Fast facts: His favourite food is pasta. A gifted dancer, he also loves to listen to love songs. He scored eight tries in the opening tournament in Australia and is currently the leading try scorer on the circuit with 25.
Already a stand-out in his first year, the tall and agile player will be much improved following the experience of a year on the circuit and the benefits of a full time sevens contract and scientific conditioning. Fast, elusive and now stronger than before, he could be one of the real stars this season and has already scored 25 tries, the most in the squad.
Tshotsho Mbovane (Back)
Physical: 1.75m & 81kg; DOB: 01/08/1992, Cape Town
Education: Zimasa Primary, Paul Roos Gymnasium (Stellenbosch)
Other Squads: Western Province (Coca-Cola Craven Week, Under-19, Under-21, Absa Currie Cup); Maties (FNB Varsity Cup); South Africa (Under-20)
Tournaments: Debut – Hong Kong (2010/11). 7 tournaments, 45 points (9 tries)
Fast facts: Mbovane was one of the stars of the Junior Boks team that won the IRB Junior World Championship in 2012. His favourite food is pasta and he loves to listen to House music.
Mbovane should be one of the real stars this year. A devastating attacker with a wicked step, the midfielder has now fully recovered from a troublesome knee injury and is playing with a lot of confidence following his starring role with the Junior Boks.
Philip Snyman (Forward)
Physical: 1.88m & 98kg; DOB: 26/04/1987, Bloemfontein
Education: Grey College Primary, Grey College Bloemfontein, University of Free State
Other Squads: Free State (Craven Week Schools, Under-19, Under-21, Vodacom Cup, Absa Currie Cup); Griffons Absa Currie Cup; Toyota Cheetahs Super Rugby.
Tournaments: Debut – Dubai 2010, 11 tournaments, 68 points (11 tries, 6 conversions)
Fast facts: Nothing gets Snyman going better than the music of U2 and a healthy portion of steak.
Snyman is another Super Rugby player coming back to sevens and the experience picked up in those competitions will make this fast and strong winger a valuable asset to the Springbok Sevens team. He loves scoring tries at all levels, exactly the contribution coach Paul Treu will be looking for in Hong Kong.
Justin Geduld (Back)
Physical: 1.75m & 72kg; DOB: 01/10/1993, Cape Town
Education: Webner Primary, Tygerberg HS, Cape Town
Other Squads: DHL Western Province Schools Craven Week, Under-19; SA Under-20 training squad
Tournaments: Debut – Wellington 2013, 1 tournament, 0 points
Fast facts: Geduld is a quiet individual who loves listening to kwaito music. His favourite meal is a pasta dish.
Geduld is one of the rising stars in the national game. Although of slender build, his deceptive pace and eye for a gap makes him a very difficult opponent. The young outside back also brings some flair into the game and this could be the first of many Hong Kong tournaments for the Capetonian.
Steven Hunt (Back)
Physical: 1.78m & 85kg; DOB: 14/10/1988, Port Elizabeth
Education: Grey Junior & Grey High School (Port Elizabeth), University of Stellenbosch
Other Squads: Eastern Province (Schools Academy, Under-19); Western Province (Under-19, Vodacom Cup, Absa Currie Cup); University of Stellenbosch (FNB Varsity Cup)
Tournaments: Debut – Wellington (2009/10), 17 tournaments, 181 points (35 tries, 3 conversions)
Fast facts: Hunt loves basil pesto pasta and prefers to listen to the tunes of DJ Fresh on the Ultimix@6. He recently won a team cake baking competition held with team sponsor Tsogo Sun.
Hunt is any coach’s dream. His error rate is very low, his basics impeccable and his understanding of sevens second to none. A winger in fifteens, Hunt’s nose for the tryline should see him high up in the try-scoring stats in 2012/13. Now back to full fitness, he could be a real game breaker.
Seabelo Senatla (Back)
Physical: 1, 84m & 79kg; DOB: 10/02/1993, Welkom
Education: Koppie Alleen Primary, Riebeeckstad High, Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein)
Other Squads: Northern Free State (Coca-Cola Craven Week); FNB Central University of Technology (Varsity Cup), Toyota Free State Under-19
Tournaments: Debut – Wellington 2013 – 2 tournaments, 15 points (3 tries)
Fast facts: Senatla hails from the Free State and loves his music, with R&B, House, Gospel and Hip Hop all his favourites.
Senatla is one of the fastest players in the country and his express pace is a much needed addition to the Springbok Sevens squad. An out and out finisher, the dreadlocked youngster loves nothing more than scoring tries, as he did when he scored the winning try against Samoa in Las Vegas. Senatla should be included in the Junior Boks squad to play in the Junior World Championships in June this year.
Jamba Ulengo (Forward)
Physical: 1, 85m & 88kg; DOB: 7/01/1990, Vryburg
Education: Fauna Primary, Jim Fouchè High, University of Free State (Bloemfontein)
Other Squads: Toyota Free State Craven Week Schools, Under-19 Provincial competition, Under-21 Provincial Competition; Vodacom Cup, Absa Currie Cup; FNB Shimlas Varsity Cup.
Tournaments: Debut – Edinburgh 2012 – 2 tournaments, 25 points (5 tries)
Fast Facts: Ulengo is a big soul music fan, never far away from a smile and loves pizza.
One of the most promising young wingers in the country, Ulengo has embraced the opportunities that came his way. He was always in representative teams and has played in all Free State representative age group sides since he was 15. He is big, strong and fast and once he gets the hang of the World Series, will be a huge player on circuit
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