The SA Schools U18 Sevens team will look to continue their dominance at the Capricorn Group Sevens tournament in Windhoek next weekend.

South Africa will face the national U18 teams from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia on Friday 8 March, and Germany and Botswana on Saturday 9 March.

The team have yet to taste defeat in the annual tournament, having won for the past three years.

Siviwe Zondani and Hlumelo Klaas are the two Grey High representatives, while the Tzaneen-based Ben Vorster will have Christiaan Smit and Renzo du Plessis at the tournament.

SA Rugby sevens high-performance manager, Marius Schoeman, said the tournament is vital in the development of the next generation of Springbok Sevens players.

‘We have seen how quickly players can progress in the Blitzboks set-up, because if you are good enough, age will not hold you back.

‘Someone such as Muller du Plessis played in the tournament two years ago, and last year we had Christi Grobbelaar, who is now with the SA Rugby Sevens Academy, so the future is bright if you show the willingness and talent.

‘The most important element of this tournament for me is the fact that the boys learn to play sevens in a competitive tournament structure. The exposure to sevens in such an environment is valuable for the players. Many of them will do this for the first time and will be better players afterwards because of it.’

SA Schools Sevens squad – Christiaan Smit (Ben Vorster HS), Tiaan Pretorius (Paul Roos Gymnasium), Siviwe Zondani (Grey HS), Janco Cloete (Grey College), Renzo du Plessis (Ben Vorster HS), Hlumelo Klaas (Grey HS), Latica Nela (Hilton College), Nico Steyn (Glenwood), Sacha Mngomezulu (Bishops), Hanco van Wyk (Monument), Danvon Blood (Rondebosch BHS), Curwin Gertse (Paarl Gymnasium), Javier Farmer (Paarl BHS).

Photo: Thinus Maritz/Gallo Images