SA Women Relish Houston Sevens Challenge

Round two of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series kicks off late on Friday evening (SA time) in Houston, Texas in the USA and South Africa will be looking to build on their good display during the opening tournament in Dubai.

The South Africans are one of 12 international sides from six continents who will compete at the BBVA Compass Stadium on 1-2 February.

Having performed courageously in reaching the final in Round one in Dubai, South Africa start in Houston as the second seeds. They line up in Pool B and face the daunting challenge of both North American heavyweights, hosts USA and Canada, as well as the improving Argentineans, now under the coaching eye of the Sevens game’s all-time leading men’s try-scorer, Santiago Gomez Cora.

Denver Wannies, the SA Women’s Sevens coach, said his team worked hard the past few weeks in preparation of a tough pool challenge in Houston.

“Our aim will be to strive for consistency and to convert the many chances we create into points. We have good speed out wide and the key for us will be our ability to contest for possession up front,” explained Wannies.

For South Africa, players such as Phumeza Gadu (wing) and Zenay Jordaan (flyhalf) are some of the new crop of rising stars on the Women’s Sevens scene and if the SA forwards can hold their own against the physical USA and Canada, then they will again pose a huge threat.

Log leaders New Zealand are top seeds in Pool A, which also consist of England, the Netherlands, and Trinidad & Tobago. In the final pool Australia face Russia, South American champions Brazil and Asian newcomers Japan.