Quewin Nortjé bolsters Blitzboks for LA sevens championship

The Blitzboks received a welcome boost for next weekend’s Los Angeles Sevens with the inclusion of three key figures.

South Africa’s top try-scorer in this season’s World Sevens Series, Quewin Nortjé, as well as Ronald Brown and Mfundo Ndhlovu were included by coach Philip Snyman on Friday.

The trio missed out on some of the recent tournaments due to injury, having been part of the campaign where the Blitzboks finished fourth overall ahead of the LA World Championship 2025, which takes place next Saturday and Sunday.

The South Africans have been drawn in Pool A, and will face France on Saturday (9.12pm SA time), and then Great Britain (Sunday 12.13am) and Argentina (Sunday 3.46am).

Nortjé wasn’t part of the squad in Singapore, Brown missed out on the Vancouver final and Ndhlovu featured in the triumphant Cape Town Sevens.

Donavan Don, Dewald Human and Sebastiaan Jobb will miss out as a result.

“Donavan and Dewald picked up injuries in Singapore, and Sebastiaan is still suspended following his red card in Singapore,” Snyman said on Friday.

“It is great to have those three back, as they all have game breaking abilities.

“Quewin’s pace and finishing ability out wide is very valuable, while Mfundo’s physicality in the midfield gives us more options on how we want to attack.

“He runs great short lines, which can set up rucks in the midfield, situations where Ronald’s pace off the mark can punish opponents.

“But individuals aside, it will be a team effort that will bring success or not.”

It’s all to play for in the World Championship 2025, which serves as a season finale, and the Blitzboks will want to back-up their heroic performance in clinching a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics by proving that wasn’t a fluke.

“This format, with only eight teams competing in two pools, is challenging,” Snyman said.

“But we have beaten France, Great Britain and Argentina before this year, so I am confident that we will progress to the semi-finals on day two.

“We have a variety of combinations available, and I am looking at the best ones for each opponent.

“We had a poor match in our last outing against Great Britain, France remain a very competitive team and Argentina have just won the series, so it will be really challenging.

“Our record in the once-off tournaments has been good, though, and I know we leave Cape Town on Sunday well prepared and determined to finish the season with a performance that everyone can be proud of.”

Meanwhile, the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad have been boosted by the inclusion of Simamkele Namba for the Sevens Play-off in Los Angeles next weekend.

“We do have some momentum after our win in Krakow earlier in the month, but this tournament is obviously a different kettle of fish, where the pressure to succeed will be massive,” said Dazel.

“Namba thrives in these situations and is such a great player to have around. She provides that spark that every team need and I am just happy to have her back.”

The Bok Women’s Sevens team will face Ireland (7.44pm) and China (11.07pm) on Saturday, May 3, and Argentina (7pm) on Sunday May 4.

Blitzboks Squad

Ryan Oosthuizen, Impi Visser, Zain Davids, Ricardo Duarttee, Ronald Brown, Selvyn Davids (captain), Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shilton van Wyk, Mfundo Ndhlovu, Quewin Nortjé, David Brits, Zander Reynders, Tristan Leyds.

Springbok Women’s Sevens Squad

Leigh Fortuin, Patience Mokone, Zintle Mpupha, Felicia Jacobs, Maria Tshiremba, Nadine Roos, Mathrin Simmers (captain), Zandile Masuku, Simamkele Namba, Shiniqwa Lamprecht, Ayanda Malinga, Alicia Willemse, Rights Mkhari.