SPRINGBOK Sevens playmaker Cecil Afrika is returning home to undergo treatment on his injured right knee and will miss the Japan Sevens in Tokyo this weekend.

In one of two changes to the team that finished third in Hong Kong last weekend, the SA Rugby Union said yesterday that Afrika had been replaced by Renfred Dazel.

Newcomer Dirk Dippenaar would make his debut in place of Bernado Botha, though Botha remained on standby for Paul Delport, who is set to face a fitness test today.

Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu said his team hoped to capitalise on the positive aspects of their victories against Samoa and England in the quarterfinals and third-place playoff respectively in Hong Kong.

"We were clinical against Samoa and England we did well to shut them out," Treu said.

"Our focus will be to maintain that intensity and to keep the mental focus. We made the same errors in our two losses against New Zealand, which is frustrating.

"If we can learn from that and not over-commit ourselves at crucial times, then we will play much better." Treu was confident his charges, third in the Sevens World Series standings, would rise to the challenge in Tokyo.