Three replacements to join Blitzboks in London

Emirates Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse will link up with the Springbok Sevens team in London on Monday and will make his international sevens debut for South Africa at the HSBC London Sevens this weekend.

The 20-year-old former Junior Springbok player is one of three replacements called up for the penultimate tournament in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with Angelo Davids and Sako Makata also joining Neil Powell's troops in England.

They will replace the injured trio of JC Pretorius, Tiaan Pretorius and Dalvon Blood.

Makata last played in Singapore in early April, but picked up a rib injury and was not considered for the trip to France, while Davids will play in the 2022 World Series for the first time, having last played for the Blitzboks in Vancouver in 2021, where he was named in the tournament's Dream Team. 

Powell said Hendrikse has been on their radar for a while now.

“We are really thin on the ground with flyhalves, with Justin Geduld, Selvyn Davids and Lubabalo Dobela unavailable and we are grateful to the Emirates Lions for releasing him,” said Powell.

“Sako also just missed out on travelling to France, while Angelo was due to return to the Blitzboks before the Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens.”

South Africa has slipped into second place on the overall World Series standings following their disappointing performance in Toulouse, where they failed to finish in the top 10 for the first time since 2013. They will face Argentina, Ireland and Kenya in pool B of the London event.

The World Series standings are:

118: Argentina

116: South Africa

110: Australia

88: Ireland

87: Fiji