South Africa and Scotland have both named squads to take part in the Singapore Sevens, a key event in the run-up to the new IRB Sevens World Series, which kicks off in Dubai on 28 November.
Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu and his Scottish counterpart Stephen Gemmell have both declared shortlists of players to travel to Singapore for the tournament on 1-2 November, and Treu's side will also take part in the Middelburg 90th Anniversary Tournament on Saturday 25 October.
Treu has named a provisional squad of 14 players but will reduce it to 10 before travelling to Middelburg and also confirmed that the same squad will travel to Singapore.
The SA Vipers are the defending champions at the event but will face a strong challenge including the Scots, Fiji, Tonga and France.
Scotland on look-out for new stars
Scotland will play in Singapore under the guise of the Scottish Thistles and coach Stephen Gemmell hopes that the tournament will play key role in uncovering new talent to carry his team through the 2008/09 season.
“For me, it’s an opportunity to expose new players to international rugby sevens outside the IRB Series," he said.
“Grant Anderson, Jim Thompson, Chris Fusaro and Chris Kinloch were all introduced to international sevens in Singapore last year and they all made significant contributions to the squad over the course of the Series. The likes of Jim Thompson and Chris Kinloch have since gone on to gain professional contracts with Glasgow and Edinburgh.”
As well as eyeing a place in Gemmell’s squad for Dubai next month, the players will all be looking to secure a spot for the return to Dubai, the Rugby World Cup Sevens in March.
Sevens World Cup the main focus
“The focus of our year is the World Cup and this gives the players the opportunity to put a marker down in terms of selection before going into the start of the IRB Sevens World Series.
“We’ll try a few new things off the field as well as on it. We don’t want to go into an IRB tournament without any game-time together and this is the perfect opportunity to do so.
“It was hugely invaluable to us last year and I’m delighted that Scottish Rugby has backed us once again.”
SA Sevens squad for Middelburg and Singapore: Mpho Mbiyozo, Marius Schoeman, Schalk van der Merwe, Frankie Horne, Paul Delport, Renfred Dazel, Shaun Davids, Mzwandile Stick, Howard Noble, Ryno Benjamin, Thabo Mamojele, Ridwaan de Bruin, Sampie Mastriet, Cornell Hendricks.
Scottish Thistles squad for Singapore: Scott Forrest (Ayr) CAPTAIN, Roddy Grant (West of Scotland), Chris Fusaro (Heriot’s), Struan Dewar (Heriot’s), Alex Dunbar (Selkirk), Ashleah McCulloch (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby), Mike Adamson (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Blair (Edinburgh Accies), Graham Hogg (Hawick), Rory Hutton (Hawick), Grant Anderson (Ayr), Tom Bury (Boroughmuir)
