Meshack Khotha

Meshack Khotha

The provisional Springbok Sevens squad will assemble for a week in January in preparation for the upcoming IRB World Sevens Series tournaments early next year.

The South Africans will feature in a tournament in Wellington (February 2-3) and another in San Diego (February 10-11).

Coach Paul Treu said a 22-man squad announced this month will be trimmed to 18 ahead of the international competitions. He said the first training session will take place in Durban from January 9 to 16 and the second in Cape Town possibly towards the end of January.

Sharks players Gcobani Bobo, Cedrick Mkhize, Howard and Dusty Noble, Lwazi Mvovo and Conrad Stoltz, and veteran Antonius Verhoeven (Fidentia Boland) are some of the new players who have been called up to attend the camps.

They will replace players on club duty in the Super 14 campaign.

Said Treu: "The unavailability of experienced players will leave the team vulnerable for the next two tournaments.

"But I am hopeful that the newcomers will use the opportunity to establish themselves and gain international exposure.''