Extended contracts for Sevens’ Cecil and Seabelo

SPRINGBOK Sevens stars Seabelo Senatla and Cecil Afrika have extended their national sevens contracts until December 2016, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced yesterday.

Senatla will play for the Springbok Sevens team during the HSBC Sevens World Series, whilst also representing Western Province for the next three years in the Currie Cup, thanks to a unique contract agreement. Senatla starred for South Africa at the World Cup Sevens in Russia, just a week after he helped the Junior Boks to third place at the Junior World Championships in France.

Afrika is a former International Rugby Board (IRB) and SA Sevens Player of the Year and this year performed duties as a Keep Rugby Clean Ambassador for the IRB.

Rassie Erasmus, Saru’s General Manager for High Performance, said he was very pleased the players’ services have been secured until 2016.

“They are both world-class Sevens players and I am very pleased that we have signed them until the end of 2016, when we will hopefully make a strong challenge at the Olympic Games in Rio,” said Erasmus.

He added that the agreement with Senatla, in particular, was an innovative and ground-breaking deal.

“The agreement benefits all the relevant parties involved – the player, Saru and the Sevens team as well as WP Rugby,” said Erasmus. “He has aspirations to play 15-a-side rugby for the Springboks one day and this will keep those hopes alive.”

Afrika, Erasmus explained, is one of the senior Bok Sevens players and he will have the responsibility of mentoring young players.

“Cecil is a world-class player and his game-breaking attributes are well-documented. He is now a senior figure in the squad and we will look to him, amongst others, to act as mentor for the younger members in the squad,” said Erasmus.