SA Rugby
The Blitzboks squad for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 includes the legend and veteran Cecil Afrika and three bronze medalist survivors from 2018 in Siviwe Soyizwapi, Selvyn Davids and Ryan Oosthuizen.
Afrika, who hails from Nelson Mandela Bay, is back in a South African jersey for the injured Dewald Human while Soyizwapi will lead the team.
Afrika - the all-time leading Blitzbok points' scorer in the World Series with 1462 points - last featured for South Africa in the World Series in 2020.
However, he's been playing for Monaco in the professional Extenso Super Sevens league in France in recent months.
Coach Neil Powell says he's happy to welcome back Afrika, who missed out in 2018 due to injury after making his RWC 7s debut in Moscow in 2013: "We have been in regular contact since Cecil left Springbok Sevens to first play professional rugby in the USA and now France, so I am up to date with his fitness and form."
Springbok Women's Sevens stalwart Mathrin Simmers will play in her third RWC 7s in Cape Town next weekend.
Joining Simmers are Nadine Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Eloise Webb, all of whom will make their second RWC 7s appearance when the action kicks off at Cape Town Stadium on Friday 9 September. Simmers and Sizophila Solontsi will co-captain the women's side.
The Springbok Sevens squad (with RWC & World Series stats):
Cecil Afrika - 2013 RWC; 66 World Series tournaments (1462 points)
Ronald Brown - RWC debut; 8 World Series tournaments (285 points)
Angelo Davids - RWC debut; 9 World Series tournaments (160 points)
Selvyn Davids - 2018 RWC; 27 World Series tournaments (564 points)
Muller du Plessis - RWC debut; 20 World Series tournaments (315 points)
Christie Grobbelaar - RWC debut; 8 World Series tournaments (70 points)
Sako Makata - RWC debut; 16 World Series tournaments (60 points)
James Murphy - RWC debut; 10 World Series tournaments (45 points)
Mfundo Ndhlovu - RWC debut; 10 World Series tournaments (60 points)
Ryan Oosthuizen - 2018 RWC; 32 World Series tournaments (160 points)
JC Pretorius - RWC debut; 20 World Series tournaments (225 points)
Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain) - 2018 RWC; 40 World Series tournaments (670 points)
Impi Visser - RWC debut; 21 World Series tournaments (115 points)
Shaun Williams - RWC debut; 7 World Series tournaments (80 points)
The Springbok Women's Sevens squad (with RWC & World Series stats):
Marlize de Bruin - RWC debut; 1 World Series tournament
Kirsten Eastes - RWC debut; 1 World Series tournament
Nolwazi Hlabangane - RWC debut; 1 World Series tournament
Felicia Jacobs - RWC debut; 1 World Series tournament
Lerato Makua - RWC debut; 1 World Series tournament
Unathi Mali - RWC debut; 2 World Series tournaments
Ayanda Malinga - RWC debut, 1 World Series tournament (10 points)
Zintle Mpupha - 2018 RWC; 6 World Series tournaments (40 points)
Simamkele Namba - RWC debut
Asisipho Plaatjies - RWC debut; 1 World Series tournament
Nadine Roos - 2018 RWC; 5 World Series tournaments (79 points)
Mathrin Simmers - 2013, 2018 RWC; 14 World Series tournaments (35 points)
Sizophila Solontsi - RWC debut; 2 World Series tournaments
Eloise Webb - 2018 RWC; 5 World Series tournaments (7 points)
