The HSBC Canada Sevens, set to take place at BC Place in Vancouver this weekend from 10th to 11th March.
Kyle Brown, a veteran of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with ten years under his belt, has a special love for winning gold. However, there have only been a handful of tournaments where this Springbok Sevens stalwart has stood on the highest podium step.
Back in 2016, Brown captained the Blitzboks to the final of the inaugural tournament in the iconic Canadian city, where they narrowly lost to New Zealand. To make matters worse, Brown sustained a rib injury, forcing him to remain in Vancouver for a few days until cleared to travel.
Last year, the Blitzboks faced another tough final defeat, this time to England, with Brown sidelined back home in South Africa due to a serious knee injury.
So, what’s different for 2018? The Blitzboks are missing several key players owing to injuries and commitments to Vodacom Super Rugby. In fact, half the squad competing has fewer combined tournament appearances than Brown’s impressive 63.
Unlike 2016, when Brown only had to consider himself during those extra days in Vancouver, this year he and other senior players are tasked with mentoring young talents like Ryan Oosthuizen (five tournaments), Zain Davids (eight), Selvyn Davids (two), Stedman Gans (seven), Marco Labuschagne (one), and Muller du Plessis (one), guiding them to deliver consistent, competitive performances match after match.
“I’ve caught a glimpse of the city, and there’s plenty to explore, but the best time for sightseeing was early in the week while our bodies recovered after a tough weekend in Las Vegas,” shared the seasoned captain.
“But honestly, there’s little time to relax – we have plenty of hard work ahead before the tournament kicks off.”
Brown acknowledged the high standards expected from the Blitzboks and noted that newcomers might find it challenging: “Fortunately, we have talented players who learned valuable lessons last weekend. They were thrown into the deep end yet swam strongly.”
“As a senior player, my goal is for new players to quickly find their feet and keep improving,” Brown said.
Brown, who last tasted tournament victory with the Blitzboks in Dubai last December, says that feeling of winning is simply unbeatable.
“We had our chances last weekend. Now, we’ve got another shot this weekend and must build on the positives from last week,” he emphasised.
“Mentally, everyone’s eager to play; the physical challenge will truly test us. We’re in a strong position in terms of our young players for the long haul, and this weekend will make us an even better team.”
Another experienced player, Branco du Preez, reflected on the team’s recent away-from-podium finish in Las Vegas. He sees a fantastic opportunity for the younger squad members to develop their careers during this tournament.
“We always reset to zero,” Du Preez said.
“We know our processes and systems work; we simply need to remind ourselves of that.”
“Players like Zain, Stedman, and Selvyn will get plenty of game time, which will be great for them. Our system lets you express yourself and enjoy the game, and nothing should change this weekend,” said Du Preez, who will be marking his 59th tournament in the World Series.
