Lesego Malatsi - SouthAfrica.TO

TREU BELIEVER:
PAUL TREU
HAS DONE AN
AMAZING JOB
WITH THE
BLITZBOKKE
Springbok Sevens team into one of
the world’s most feared sides, South
Africa winning their first IRB World
Sevens Series two seasons ago.
Treu’s success is even more
remarkable given the fact that
the coach often loses some of
SEVENS IS GREAT
TO GET YOUNGSTERS
INTO RUGBY
PHOTO GETTY
his best players to Super Rugby
franchises and Currie Cup teams.
“It is a bit of a challenge as a coach
to start all over again with new
players,” he says. “Those new players
always have to make mistakes and
they are almost going to cost you
a tournament or two before they
start becoming better at sevens.
Fortunately it’s a lot better than it
used to be. In the past we had players
for tournaments and then they
were called back to Super Rugby
teams. Now we have continuity and
it seems like we are going to have
most of the players that we used
last year. We are giving two-year
contracts to the players and the
idea is for them to be exposed to the
international sevens culture, to go
back to 15-man rugby, and then be
fazed back in by around 2015.”
While some might regard sevens as
a step down from 15-man rugby, Treu
warns that being a Blitzbok is much
harder than many people realise.
“There are a lot of good players
in South Africa but only a handful
who can adapt and play sevens,” the
coach points out. “Few are able to
show the intensity levels required.
The best players for us are the ones
that can finish one of our sevens
camps. If that player can go through
one of our toughest camps you know
they are destined for greatness.”
The Port Elizabeth Sevens takes
place at the Nelson Mandela Bay
Stadium on 9 and 10 December
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