There was an enforced change to the Eastern Province (EP) squad, but everything is on track for the u/17 national Sevens Rugby Tournament.
The tournament starts on Friday at the Voortrekker High School in Bethlehem. The finals will be played on Saturday.
The EP head coach, Turtuis Douw, confirmed that Lucritia Magau (Graeme College) had to be replaced by Cayden Pullen (Andrew Rabie).
Magau is one of five EP players invited by SA Rugby to the u/16 Elite Player development camp at Paarl Gymnasium.
The others are Luke Doyle, Erin Nelson (also Graeme College), Ciaran Killian (Grey High) and Leighton Lawrence (Nico Malan).
The camp started on Monday and runs till Saturday. The five EP players will no doubt benefit enormously from specialised coaching at the camp.
Killian and Nelson formed the EP centre combination at the Grant Khomo Week this year, with Lawrence next to them on the left wing, and Magau at full-back.
These potent EP backline players clearly made a huge impression on the SA Rugby scouts. Their progress will be followed with interest by rugby fans in the Eastern Cape.
Although the Sevens squad will miss the services of Magau, Pullen slotted in without any problems.
EP has done well at this tournament in previous years, and Douw is expecting another bold showing.
He feels he has a talented squad, and it is now up to the players to execute the game plans.
Big performances are expected from Meyer Prinsloo (Grey), Damian Witbooi (Framesby), Ithani Shoba (Pearson) and Mikhulu Hoboshe (Graeme College).
It is not going to be easy for the EP boys to play three tough matches on Friday and progress to the playoffs.
The teams have been divided into four groups. EP is in Group C, along with the Golden Lions, Pumas and the Free State XV.
EP will start their campaign against the Lions at 09:20 and will face the Free State XV at 12:20. Their last match will kick off at 15:00 against the Pumas.
On conclusion of all the pool matches on Friday, the fixtures for the play-offs on the next day will be finalised.
Teams are then placed from positions one to four, according to points. A team collects two points for a win and one for a draw.
The first of the play-off matches on Saturday will start at 07:30. EP is expected to be in action a little bit later than that.
EP is also in action in the Hollywood Foundation Iqhawe u/15 Week which ends tomorrow at Queens High School in Johannesburg.
The EP u/17 Sevens squad is: Mikhulu Hoboshe (Graeme College), Keyshaun Basson (Aliwal North), Darian Kramer (Westering High), Ithani Shoba, Matthew Els (both Pearson High), Meyer Prinsloo (Grey High), Damian Witbooi, Calestine Felkers, Rion Saaiman, Jeandré Verwey, Rico van Leeuen (all Framesby High) and Cayden Pullen (Andrew Rabie).
