The Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens will be played at Outeniqua Park in George on 11-12 December and TV commentator Nigel Starmer-Smith names five youngsters to look out for on the second weekend of IRB Sevens World Series action in South Africa.


Sherwin Stowers, New Zealand

Nobody made a more dramatic return to the IRB Sevens than this young man from Counties Manakau.

Five years on from when he first represented NZ as a schoolboy in 2004, Sherwin Stowers' first day performance in Dubai last weekend helped to draw a veil over last season's disappointments and bring about a restoration of confidence that was to bring NZ a first title since Edinburgh 2008, nine tournaments ago.

Still only 23, this promising wing/full back scored nine tries in all, including four in a brilliant individual display against Argentina.

Small of stature but lightning quick and with an eye for the break, 'Sherz' found as a youngster inspiration from Tana Umaga and Frank Bunce, that helped to take him from Auckland Blues juniors to NZ Under 17s to the Sevens squad and currently Counties Manakau, where he stars alongside Tim Nanai-Williams.

It's not just the red boots that catch the eye! Gordon Tietjens has uncovered another 'pocket rocket'.

Vasily Artemyev, Russia

This may be the first time that I've singled out a Russian player as 'One to Watch', but the way things are going Vasily will be the first of many. The impact of the arrival of Sevens as an Olympic sport will have no greater repurcussions anywhere than in Russia where rugby's new status brings with it vast new resources and the fact that rugby for the first time can be introduced into the school sporting curriculum.

Vasily, a 22-year-old wing, won his first international cap for the Russian national 15 against Portugal in February earlier this year and remains in the squad.

After two seasons overseas studying in Ireland and playing at University College Dublin, his home club VVA Podmoskovye in Moscow has dominated international representation at Sevens and 15s. Creative and elusive, his debut performance in Dubai gave us just a taste, I sense, of what's in store.

Jacobus (JW) Jonker & Cecil Afrika, South Africa

With an experienced, established and successful squad, it's tough for any newcomers to break through into the current Springbok line-up, but Paul Treu certainly has two new players to keep an eye on.

I first saw Cecil Afrika - him of the long locks - making his mark in the IRB Junior World Championship in Japan. Now a full-time contracted Sevens player, this former centre star with the Griffons, and still only 21, looks an exciting prospect now that last season's injury troubles are out of the way.

So too JW Jonker, yet another top player to emerge from that great rugby nursery Grey College, Bloemfontein.

Now with the Cheetahs - appropriately given his exceptional pace - he has already played Super 14 and Currie Cup rugby and showed early doors his Sevens talents when being selected Player of the Tournament at the famous Melrose Sevens in Scotland a couple of years ago. Still only 22 and making his first appearance in the Springbok squad this eason, he's destined to be a marked man already.

Clinton Sills, Australia

Some Sevens players leave a special imprint on the game as athletes who are a joy to watch in full stride and at flat out pace: beautifully balanced and fluency personified. England's Andy Harriman and Richard Haughton, South Africa's Fabian Juries and Fijian Rupeni Caucau spring to mind.

Now, amongst a hatful of promising teenage Wallabies uncovered by coach Michael O'Connor, the tall and lean Clinton Sills, just 19, looks set to leave a similar mark.

Out of Sydney University and the Australian IRB Junior World Championship squad, this young full back, in only his third tournament appearance, scored successive hat tricks against both Samoa and Argentina last weekend, as well as scoring the winning try against South Africa in the Plate final.

He epitomises the enormous potential of this new squad.