Kennewell ruled out, Connor steps in
Australian men’s sevens forward Simon Kennewell has been ruled out of the Sydney7s following a heartbreaking knee injury at training yesterday.
Kennewell suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament at training and will undergo surgery ruling him out of the rest of the 2017/18 series. Tom Connor will now come into the side and wear the number two jersey in what will be his World Series debut.
The 25-year old has played for Australia previously at invitational tournaments in Fiji and the Central Coast (NSW), while he was also part of the victorious Warringah side that claimed the 2017 Shute Shield. Australia sevens head coach Andy Friend said: “It’s incredibly disappointing for Simon. He’s been one of our most improved players in the last year and is now a player that the opposition fear and respect. “This injury now provides an opportunity for Tom Connor. Tom has been knocking on the door for over five years now searching for an opportunity to represent his country on the World Series.” –Rugby.com.au Sydney: The Blitzboks go into the defence of their Sydney World Series title in confident mood despite sitting second on the 2017/18 standings.
It is still early in the season but the next two events — Hamilton in New Zealand after Sydney — are the last time the Blitzboks will have Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith in the line-up.
The duo are heading back to Super Rugby for the rest of the season so it is imperative SA make the most of their near-full-strength squad. Senatla hopes his decision to focus on fifteens following the next two tournaments will work out better than it did in 2017.
“It was not the fairy tale I hoped it to be‚“he said. “I got injured in my first game for the Stormers and then was injured in my first game back again. In the end, though‚ I finished on a high note‚ winning the Currie Cup [with Western Province]. When I returned to sevens‚ it was easy to slot back in. Smith says that despite a two-week break over the Christmas holidays‚ which included the small matter of getting married‚ the team is well set for Sydney.