Sibuyela enkundleni emveni kokwekululama isihlabani
UNEIL Powell ongumqeqeshi weqembu lakuleli lo mbhoxo iBlitzbokke (Springbok Sevens), ujabulile kubuya umdlali omqoka weqembu okunguCecil Afrika.
U-Afrika ubuya nje ubelimale kusuka ngonyaka odlule emqudelwaneni weHSBC World Rugby Series, koweLondon Sevens. Yize ukubuya kwakhe kungeke kusalisiza elakuleli kodwa amagalelo akhe kulindeleke ukuthi asize ezilaPowell zisonge isizini zenze kahle.
Ukubuya kwakhe lo mdlali odabuka ePort Elizabeth kudalulwe emva kokulimala kukaStedman Gans, wabe esebizwa ezovala isikhala sakhe. Omunye umdlali obiziwe eqenjini elizomela iNingizimu Africa koweParis Sevens kule mpelasonto uMfundo Ndhlovu naye obizwe ukuzovala isikhala sikaDewald Human yena onezinkinga ezithinta impilo yakhe.
“Kuyangijabulisa kakhulu ukubuya kuka-Africa ngiyakuqonda ukuthi ngeke sisasivikela isicoco kodwa iphupho lami ngaye lifezekile ekwolokuthi adlale okungenani umqhudelwano owodwa ngaphambi kokusongwa kwesizini. Ubese hlale isikhathi eside kakhulu ekhaya, ngiyakholwa ukuthi amagalelo akhe uzowasebenzisa sisonge kahle unyaka,” kusho uPowell.
EzikaPowell zikeliswe endaweni yesine, ngamaphuzu ali-131. Izwe okuyilo elihamba phambili iFiji Sevens ngamaphuzu ali-164, ilandelwe i-United States of America (USA) Sevens ngamaphuzu ali-143 bese endaweni yesithathu kube yiNew Zealand Sevens yona enamaphuzu ali-131.
IBlitzbokke iseqoqweni B, izotholana phezulu neWales Sevens, iKenya Sevens kube i-Australia Sevens. Lo mqhudelwano kule mpelasonto uzobanjelwa eStade Jean Bouin, eFrance.
I-Australia Sevens iyona ebukeka inganikeza iBlitzbokke umdlalo onzima, lelizwe lisendaweni yesi-6 ngamaphuzu angama-99. Kulawa amanye amazwe izozidlela amahlandla njengokujwayelekile iWales ilele endaweni ye-13 ngamaphuzu angama-30 kuthi iKenya ibe kweye-14 ngamaphuzu angama-27.
Sekuvele kucacile ukuthi ezikaPowell zihlulekule ukuqopha umlando wokuthi zinqobe iHSBC World Rugby Series kathathu kulandelana, muva nje sezilwela ukuba yingxenye yama-Olympics azoba ngonyaka ozayo eTokyo.
“Laba badlali bobabili sizokwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi bayalithola ithuba lokuthi badlale yonke imidlalo, kakhulukazi uNdlovu ngoba usamncane sifuna kufike imiqhudelwano emikhulu esevuthiwe. U-Africa yena ukuthi abuyelwe ifomi yakhe kuphela. Sifuna ukwakha iqembu eliqinile elizoya eTokyo. Abanye abadlali esisebenza ngabo ekubakhuliseni uSiviwe Soyizwapi no-Angelo Davids. La badlali babe nesizini enhle kabi nangeledlule ngasho umdlali wonyaka uzophuma koyedwa kubona,” kuchaza uPowell.
U-Afrika usebe yingxenye yeqembu emiqhudelwaneni engama-61, wavalela phakathi amaphuzu ayizinkulungwane ayi1430. Waba yingxenye yeqembu le sizwe elalidlala iNdebe YoMhlaba ngowezi-2013. Ngonyaka wezi2016 wathola indondo yethusi emqhudelwaneni wama-Olympics ayebanjelwe eRio de Janeiro eBrazil.