George set for super Sevens show
Brad Morgan
5 December 2007
Picturesque George plays host to the second leg of the 2007/08 IRB Sevens World Series, with the Emirates Airlines South Africa Sevens tournament kicking off on 7 December.
Sixteen teams will do battle in a form of the game that continues to grow across the world, and a series that continues to produce players who become stars of the traditional 15-man game.
George is the second stop on the eight-tournament IRB Sevens World Series schedule, following the Dubai Sevens, which took place last week.
Dubai Sevens
New Zealand, the winners of last season's World Series, claimed the trophy in Dubai, defeating Fiji 31-26 in the final after racing into a 26-nil lead.
South Africa, the defending champions, fell to the Kiwis in the semi-finals, bowing out 12-7 after controversially having a seemingly good try disallowed.
The performance of referee James Bolabiu in that game came in for some criticism and,
unfortunately for South Africa, Jonathan Mokoena failed to keep his emotions under control and twice shoved the ref, which had led to a six-week suspension.
That means he won't be taking part in the tournament in George and neither will Mzwandile Stick, because of an injury.
SA changes
Kabamba Floors and Marius Schoeman have been added to the SA line-up in place of Mokoena and Stick and, if anything, they strengthen the South African squad.
Floors is a favourite of the George fans, having been born in nearby Oudtshoorn. He has also, on many occasions previously, performed brilliantly for the national Sevens team. Winning the 2006 Players' Player of the Year and Absa Currie Cup Player of the Year attests to his excellent abilities.
Schoeman, meanwhile, is second only to Fabian Juries on the top try scorers' list for South Africa in the IRB Sevens Series. Juries, who also be in action in George, occupies third place on the
all-time try scoring list, with Schoeman, a real "gas man", in twelfth spot.
Motivation
Last season, when South Africa played in George, they had just won the opening event of the season in Dubai. They went on to finish as runners-up to New Zealand on home soil. Now, having ceded their Dubai title to the Kiwis, SA have added motivation to record a victory in front of their home fans.
The teams to watch out for, apart from South Africa, include New Zealand, Fiji, England, who made the semi-finals in Dubai, England, Argentina and Samoa.
However, it is the nature of the game that surprises happen and happen quite often, so, while they are unlikely to win the tournament, any of the other sides are capable of pulling off an upset victory.
Breeding ground
Anyone who believes Sevens is a game for players who are not good enough to make it in the 15-man game is sorely mistaken. Rather, Sevens has proved
itself to be a fertile breeding ground for players who have gone on to become major stars in rugby's traditional form.
Take the 2007 Rugby World Cup, for instance, where six of the countries had captains who have played Sevens for their national teams, namely Agustin Pichot (Argentina), Morgan Williams (Canada), Vasco Uva (Portugal), Semo Sititi (Samoa), Gareth Thomas (Wales) and Mike Hercus (USA).
Some of the biggest names in the history of South African rugby have graced Sevens, including the country's leading test try scorer Joost van der Westhuizen, the brilliant flank Andre Venter, Chester Williams, and Bob Skinstad.
Unearthing talent
It's a game that has also provided a great platform for unearthing talent. Brent Russell, one of the most electrifying exponents of Sevens, first made his mark at the SA Interprovincial tournament in 2000.
Selected to play for the Western Province B team, he was promoted to the A side when one
of that team's players picked up an injury. "The Pocket Rocket" played in only one match before SA Sevens' coach Chester Williams pulled him off the field and put him straight into the South African national side. The very next day Russell was playing for his country in the IRB Sevens Series in Durban.
Because of the extra space on the field, Sevens allows for exciting running rugby where players are able to exhibit skills and flair that are seldom found in the 15-man game. That’s why Fiji's Waisale Serevi is regarded as a genius with the ball in hand. Others whose names spring to mind include New Zealand's Eric Rush and Karl Tenana, William Ryder of Fiji, and Santiago Gomez Cora of Argentina.
Legends
Some of rugby's legends have also represented their countries at Sevens, including George Gregan, Michael Lynagh, David Campese, Jonah Lomu, and Christian Cullen. They are all examples of dynamic, "special" players, and they honed their skills
in the expressive Sevens game.
The granddaddy of them all, the Hong Kong Sevens, was, believe it or not, the brainchild of a South African, ADC "Tokkie" Smith, who put together the first Hong Kong tournament in 1976.
It has since become so popular that is always sold out and a special tented village is erected near the 40 000-seater stadium for those who can't get tickets to the matches. It is the popularity of the Hong Kong Sevens that led to an annual Sevens series under the auspices of the International Rugby Board.
George
Last weekend, the Dubai Sevens attracted 32 000 spectators a day and George, while a smaller venue, is expected to be all about the IRB Series when the tournament kicks off on Friday, drawing an enthusiastic crowd.
In the lead up to the event, plenty of activities involving the tournament have been taking place in the town, including an autograph signing session with the captains of all 16 teams,
another autograph signing session with the South African team, public appearances by players, and coaching clinics.
SuperSport's popular rugby programme, Boots and All, will be broadcasting from George on Thursday evening.
An exciting rugby feast awaits the beautiful Southern Cape town.
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