Branco du Preez has had enough of doing fitness and running drills during Springbok Sevens practices. All he wants is to do this thing on the world stage, and he will get that opportunity for the first time in 10 months in the Las Vegas Sevens this weekend.
The 25-year-old from George has been sidelined by a troublesome shoulder injury that required corrective surgery in September last year, having played his last sevens tournament for the Blitzbokke in the London Sevens in May 2015.
So it’s been a long road back with lots of rehabilitation, and is just in time for the Rio Olympic Games in August.
But despite being a Bok Sevens stalwart, the energetic playmaker Du Preez knows that selection isn’t guaranteed for anyone, especially with 15s Springboks such as Bryan Habana and Ryan Kankowski returning to the shorter format this weekend.
Habana and Kankowski are following Juan de Jongh and Francois Hougaard in trying to make the Olympic Games squad.
“I know I played last year in May, and had a downfall, so I had to pick myself up. To be back on the field is a positive thing for me and I know that I can enjoy my rugby again,” Du Preez said from Las Vegas on Thursday.
“Everyone in the squad wants to prove themselves make the team for the Olympics, but we are focused on this coming weekend in Las Vegas, and everyone wants to give their all. The competition is very positive.”
The Blitzbokke have an excellent record in Vegas, having won the title three times in the last five years. The South Africans are level at the top of the World Series log on 69 points with New Zealand and Fiji after four tournaments, and will be grateful to have captain Kyle Brown (shoulder), Cecil Afrika (hamstring) and Justin Geduld (shoulder) from injury along with Du Preez.
Brown and Geduld last played at the Cape Town Sevens and Afrika in Dubai late last year. But, in the negative column, Philip Snyman now sits out with yet another shoulder injury after captaining the team in Wellington and Sydney.
“Vegas has, as they say, a lot of lights, and is a special place, and it’s awesome to just play rugby again. I haven’t played for a long time, so it’s good to have the support of my teammates, coaches and management, and I hope to give my best,” Du Preez said.
The Blitzbokke open their Las Vegas tournament against Canada in Pool D on Saturday morning 2.35am South African time, followed by Wales at 5.58am. Their last group game is against hosts USA at 12.35am on Sunday morning, with the Cup quarter-finals finals set to start at 3.31am.
@IndyCapeSport