Specman’s ticket to Paris has given the Blitzboks plenty of reason to smile

THE Blitzboks will be smiling all the way to Paris now that it has been confirmed that their brilliant playmaker Rosko Specman is back in the team for the Paris Sevens tournament in the French capital next weekend.

Specman, who has thrilled spectators and confounded opponents with his stepping, missed the tournaments in Hong Kong and Singapore due to a hamstring injury.

But now Specman is fully recovered, and that is good news for coach Neil Powell and his Blitzboks, who hold a commanding 25-point lead over second-placed Fiji with two tournaments of the 2016/17 season left.

Despite their series lead, captain Philip Snyman said the team will be focused only on a strong performance in their opening game against Scotland: “We have not started any of the eight tournaments this year looking at the log and will not do so for Paris either.

“Our mind set and attitude have been simple this year and we will stick to it, as it delivered the results. We have worked hard, prepared well and all want to go out there to represent our country and make ourselves and our supporters proud.

“Boring as it may sound, the focus will be nowhere else, but our opening game against Scotland. We have been successful when we have found early momentum and that will be our objective again.”

Specman and newcomer Dewald Human come in for Stedman Gans and Zain Davids respectively from the team that played in Singapore last month. Gans and Davids have been named in the Junior Springbok team that will travel to Georgia later this month to play in World Rugby’s Under-20 World Championship.

It is no coincidence that Specman was involved in all four tournament victories in Dubai, Wellington, Sydney and Las Vegas, where he was named Player of the Final, but for Powell, is it all about the team effort.

“It is great to have Rosko back – he has been in commanding form all season,” he explained. “Having said that, I am actually happier having him back due to his contributions as a team player, as that is what we really stand for as a squad. It is all about believing in the system, which will then allow the individual to express himself.”

Human, who plays as a sweeper, has been a regular for the SA Rugby Sevens Academy team in recent tournaments and also played Super Rugby for the Southern Kings last year.

Powell was pleased for Human as well as Ryan Oosthuizen, who has been selected as one of the forwards travelling to Paris after making his debut in Hong Kong as official reserve following an injury to Selvyn Davids. The former Western Province Under21 midfielder then replaced Davids in the official squad for the HSBC Singapore Sevens a week later.

“Dewald has been around for a while now and has delivered solid performances for the Academy side, so I am really happy for him. Ryan is a wellgrounded individual and also responded well to all the challenges he faced so far,” said Powell.

“We were looking at giving some youngsters opportunities this season anyway as we need to broaden our base and with Kyle Brown, Justin Geduld, Stephan Dippenaar, Carel du Preez and now Selvyn Davids out injured and Seabelo Senatla and Kwagga Smith on Super Rugby duties, it created this opportunity for Dewald and Ryan.”

South Africa face Scotland, Japan and Canada in Pool A.