To date 30 000 tickets have been sold to the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens Rugby tournament taking place in Port Elizabeth over the weekend 9 and 10 December 2011.
At the final of the George Seven’s the stadium was filled to it’s 11 000 seat capacity – still a long way to go to fill the NMB Stadium to it’s 45 000 capacity but an excellent start nonetheless.
Sevens Rugby promises 45 short sharp games over the two days of the third leg of the tournament with Gold Coast Australia and Dubai history these past two weekends. Incoming teams will be allowed 13 players for this third leg of the tournament in Port Elizabeth.
The first teams will arrive at the Port Elizabeth Airport on Sunday 4 December at 8:10 pm in the first of two chartered aeroplanes, followed by the rest of the payers at 21:05 pm. The Springbok Sevens players will be in the first flight. I am sure that Port Elizabeth boy and ex-Grey High scholar, Steven Hunt will be especially excited to be landing in PE ahead of representing his country in his home town.
Teams have each been assigned to one of 16 training venues across the city at clubs and schools. They will only get to inspect the NMB Stadium playing field on Thursday morning at the Captains Run.
SARU will be making their Springbok Buses available as shuttles along the beachfront to the stadium on Friday and Saturday and are calling on party animals and rugby fans alike to come and experience the vibe and party atmosphere.
On Tuesday 6 December 2011 the Springbok Sevens team will be holding a signing session at the Greenacres Mall where they will also be giving away complimentary tickets.
The Springbok Sevens Team is as follows:
Kyle Brown – Forward (captain)
Height: 1.82m
Weight: 96kg
Birth Date: 6 February 1987
Birth City: Cape Town
Favourite Film: Wedding Crashers, Step Brothers
Favourite Music: All
Favourite Food: Chops
Secondary School: SACS, Cape Town Springbok Sevens debut: Dubai 2008 Tournament appearances: 24
Interesting fact: South African Sevens Player of the Year in 2010.
Cecil Afrika – Flyhalf / Sweeper
Height: 1.75m
Weight: 70kg
Birth Date: 3 March 1988
Birth City: Port Elizabeth
Favourite Film: Coach Carter
Favourite Music: R&B
Favourite Food: Pasta
Secondary School: Hentie Cilliers High School, Virginia Springbok Sevens debut: Wellington 2009 Tournament appearances: 17
Interesting fact: Top points (385) and try scorer (40) in the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series. Named IRB and SA Sevens Player of the Year for 2011.
Bernado Botha – Wing
Height: 1.81m
Weight: 86kg
Birth Date: 4 July 1988
Birth City: Oudtshoorn
Favourite Film: Remember the Titans
Favourite Music: R&B
Favourite Food: Pizza
Secondary School: Florida High School, Johannesburg Springbok Sevens debut: Commonwealth Games 2010 (Delhi) Tournament appearances: 6
Interesting fact: Played for South Africa U19 in 2007.
Renfred Dazel – Flyhalf / Sweeper
Height: 1.68m
Weight: 74kg
Birth Date: 4 May 1981
Birth City: Paarl-East
Favourite Film: Men of Honour
Favourite Music: R&B
Favourite Food: Ribs
Secondary School: Paulus Joubert Secondary, Paarl
Springbok Sevens debut: Wellington 2005 Tournament appearances: 33
Interesting fact: Nominated by the IRB for World Sevens Player of the Year in 2009.
Paul Delport – Sweeper / Flyhalf
Height: 1.70m
Weight: 85kg
Birth Date: 13 October 1984
Birth City: Cape Town
Favourite Film: Forest Gump
Favourite Music: Rap / Hip-hop
Favourite Food: My mom’s food.
Secondary School: SACS, Cape Town
Springbok Sevens debut: Dubai 2003 Tournament appearances: 21
Interesting fact: Former SA U-21 and U-19 representative.
Chris Dry – Forward
Height: 1.91m
Weight: 96kg
Birth Date: 13 February 1988
Birth City: Cape Town
Favourite Film: Step Brothers
Favourite Music: Anything
Favourite Food: Fillet steak
Secondary School: Grey College, Bloemfontein
Springbok Sevens debut: Adelaide 2010 Tournament appearances: 10
Interesting fact: Played for the Shimlas (University of the Free State) in the Varsity Cup 2010.
Branco du Preez – Centre / Wing
Height: 1.66m
Weight: 72kg
Birth Date: 8 May 1990
Birth City: George
Favourite Film: Tekkies
Favourite Music: Jazz
Favourite Food: Pizza
Secondary School: PW Botha College, George
Springbok Sevens debut: Wellington 2010 Tournament appearances: 12
Interesting fact: Represented South Africa at the Junior World Champs in 2010.
Robert Ebersohn – Centre
Height: 1.80m
Weight: 87kg
Birth Date: 23 February 1989
Birth City: Bloemfontein
Favourite Film: Shawshank Redemption
Favourite Music: Gospel
Favourite Food: Braaivleis (BBQ)
Secondary School: Grey College, Bloemfontein
Springbok Sevens debut: Hong Kong 2008 Tournament appearances: 10
Interesting fact: Part of the Blitz Bok squad that won the IRB Series in 2008/09.
Frankie Horne – Forward
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 106kg
Birth Date: 24 February 1983
Birth City: Port Elizabeth
Favourite Film: Snatch
Favourite Music: Alternative
Favourite Food: Braaivleis (BBQ)
Secondary School: Hugenote High School, Wellington
Springbok Sevens debut: Dubai 2007 Tournament appearances: 34
Interesting fact: South Africa’s Sevens Player of the Year in 2009.
Steven Hunt – Centre / Wing
Height: 1.78m
Weight: 85kg
Birth Date: 14 October 1988
Birth City: Port Elizabeth
Favourite Film: The Hangover
Favourite Music: Alternative
Favourite Food: Home cooked roast
Secondary School: Grey High School, Port Elizabeth
Springbok Sevens debut: Wellington 2010 Tournament appearances: 8
Interesting fact: Represented Maties (Stellenbosch University) in the 2010 Varsity Cup.
Chase Minnaar – Forward
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 100kg
Birth Date: 15 July 1986
Birth City: Graaff Reinet
Favourite Film: The Godfather Trilogy, Step Brothers
Favourite Music: All
Favourite Food: Steak or Pasta
Secondary School: St Andrew’s College, Grahamstown
Springbok Sevens debut: Hong Kong 2009 Tournament appearances: 13
Interesting fact: Missed the entire 2010/11 season because of injury.
Johannes “Boom” Prinsloo – Forward
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 96kg
Birth Date: 12 March 1989
Birth City: Bloemfontein
Favourite Film: Gladiator
Favourite Music: Zinkplaat
Favourite Food: KFC
Secondary School: Grey College, Bloemfontein
Springbok Sevens debut: Commonwealth Games 2010 (Delhi) Tournament appearances: 8
Interesting fact: Played Absa Currie Cup for the Toyota FS Cheetahs in 2011. Player of the Varsity Cup in 2010.
Mark Richards – Wing
Height: 1.74m
Weight: 82kg
Birth Date: 9 September 1989
Birth City: Springs
Favourite Film: Gladiator
Favourite Music: All
Favourite Food: Chicken, Pasta, Steak
Secondary School: Michaelhouse, KZN Midlands
Springbok Sevens debut: Dubai 2010 Tournament appearances: 4
Interesting fact: Played for The Sharks in the Absa Currie Cup in 2011.
William Small-Smith – Centre / Wing
Height: 1.84m
Weight: 84kg
Birth Date: 31 March 1992
Birth City: Oudtshoorn
Favourite Film: Remember the Titans
Favourite Music: Glaskas
Favourite Food: Steak and chips
Secondary School: Grey College, Bloemfontein
Springbok Sevens debut: London 2010 Tournament appearances: 2
Interesting fact: Captained SA Schools & SARU High Performance U18 squad in 2010.
Alan Straton
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