Sikhumbuzo Notshe says his skills and work rate have dramatically improved during his time with the Springbok Sevens.

Notshe has been part of the Blitzboks’ setup since October, and is set to feature in this weekend’s Wellington Sevens before returning to the Stormers next week to continue preparations for their Super Rugby campaign.

The Stormers loose forward was selected for the SA Sevens Academy side that played in Dubai last December, and received his Blitzboks call-up for the Australasian leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series.

The former Wynberg Boys’ High pupil made his Blitzboks debut in Sydney last weekend when he replaced the injured Ruhan Nel, and is now keen to make the most of his remaining time with the squad.

‘There are a couple of areas where I feel that I improved in the past couple of months – my skills benefitted, as did my work rate,’ he said.

‘My one-on-one skills on defence and beating players on attack certainly benefited as well, as did my work at the breakdown – the guys spend a lot of time working on that area, on attack and defence.’

Notshe reiterated that he was loving every minute of his time with the Blitzboks.

‘Playing fifteens will always be the bigger picture for me, but my involvement with the Blitzboks in the past couple of months certainly whet my appetite.

‘There is a Commonwealth Games and a Sevens World Cup this year, but the biggest thing that will draw me back is the people that I worked with. There is a good culture going around here.’

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