The Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens gets underway in George on Friday with a number of the 16 participating teams having called up players due to injuries being suffered in the IRB Sevens World Series opening event in Dubai last weekend.
Samoa coach Rudi Moors has had to fly in two new players in Siaosi Akerei and Morgan Salesa after Apelu Fa’aiuga and Lolo Lui returned to Auckland for treatment on injuries sustained in the islanders’ run to the Plate final in Dubai.
Canada also have two walking wounded in Daniel van der Merwe, who impressed on his IRB Sevens debut with six tries in Dubai, and Nathan Hirayama, who arrived in South Africa on crutches after damaging ankle ligaments and a knee respectively.
Coach Shane Thompson, who lies third overall on the all-time IRB Sevens World Series appearances list with 46, will be hoping his squad don’t pick up any more injuries when they take on Fiji, France and USA in Pool B on Friday.
His USA counterpart Al Caravelli has called up Mike Palefau and Takudzwa Ngwenya after they were released by their clubs in Europe to replace Jone Naqica (dislocated hip) and Milemoti Pulu (ankle) as they seek their first win of the 2007/08 Series.
Australia have made one change to their squad with John McGrath coming in for Tim Cornforth, as have Wales with Dafydd Hewitt replacing Gareth Chapman as Dai Rees’ side look to bounce back from missing out on the Cup quarter-finals in Dubai.
Experienced faces return for hosts
New Zealand, the defending champions in George, have also had to tinker with the squad which last weekend won their first title in Dubai since 2002 with a 31-21 defeat of Fiji as a result of injury and paternity leave.
Gordon Tietjens had already named a 13-man squad for the two tournaments because playmaker Nigel Hunt was due to return home after Dubai on paternity leave with James Kamana coming in for the second leg in George.
However a knee injury to captain Tafai Ioasa on the eve of the Dubai tournament ruled him out and Kamana slotting into the vacant spot. Tietjens has therefore called up Tim Mikkelson as they face England, Kenya and Zimbabwe in Pool A.
The Springbok Sevens have also made two changes for their home tournament as Mzwandile Stick (shoulder) and Jonathan Mokuena (suspended) are unavailable, so the experienced Marius Schoeman and local favourite Kabamba Floors return to the fold.
The action gets underway at 11:18 local time (GMT +2 hrs) on Friday with the Pool D encounter between Samoa and Scotland. Defending champions New Zealand kick off their campaign at 12:02 against Kenya, while South Africa face Argentina at 13:30.
