Cape Town - The Springbok Sevens team won’t have Warren Whiteley and Damian de Allende in their Olympic team, but Francois Hougaard is ready to fight for his spot for Rio.
SA Rugby confirmed to Independent Media on Tuesday that Whiteley and De Allende won’t be available for the Blitzbok squad that are one of the contenders for the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.
The Lions captain and Stormers centre would’ve had to play in the last two World Sevens Series tournaments coming up in Paris and London over the next few weeks to compete for a spot in the Olympic squad, but have decided against it.
“Unfortunately for us, Damian and Warren withdrew from the Olympics. Both of them really want to focus on their 15s careers, and hope to make the Springbok side that will play against Ireland in June,” Blitzbok coach Neil Powell said on Tuesday.
“So, a bit of a blow for us, but I am still confident that we have more than enough players in our squad to cover the positions that Warren and Damian would’ve played in. Obviously they would still have needed to come in and prove that they are good enough to play in the Olympics, and to show that they could play sevens.
“But I’m happy with the forwards – as both of them would’ve played in the forwards – I’m still happy with the forwards that we have. I think we will be good enough to take a strong team to Rio.”
But Hougaard has left English club Worcester Warriors and returned to the Blitzboks’ base in Stellenbosch, and will be available for the Paris (May 13-15) and London (May 21-22) legs, and it is a crucial time as the second-placed South Africans trail Fiji by eight points on the Series standings.
Hougaard made a big impression at Worcester, and was voted the English Premiership’s Player of the Month for April. But after gradually improving for the Blitzboks in four tournaments at the start of the season, he would have to prove again that he should make the final squad for Rio.
“It is nice to see Francois back,” said Powell. “He did well for us in the first four tournaments and I am sure he will fit in nicely this week. He remains committed to try and make the squad that will travel to the Olympic Games in Rio later this year, and I will keenly follow his progress in this regard.”
Other 15s players who are in the mix for the Olympics include Bryan Habana from Toulon, Stormers duo Cheslin Kolbe and Juan de Jongh, as well as former Sharks No 8 Ryan Kankowski.
Habana and Kankowski have battled with the intensity of the shortened game up to now, and the Bok wing is not available for the Paris and London events, as well as the three-Test series against Ireland in June.
There is also 2015 World Sevens Player of the Year Werner Kok to consider, although he has still not recovered from a knee ligament injury sustained last year and won’t be in the squad for Paris and London.
But an old stalwart in Frankie Horne may make the trip if he can get through training this week following a long-term ankle injury, said Powell.
The Blitzbok squad for the final two tournaments will be announced on Friday, and leave for Paris on Sunday.