Cape Town - Former Springbok, Junior Bok and Bulls winger Travis Ismaiel will begin a new journey in his rugby career when he jets off with the Springbok Sevens to Los Angeles and Vancouver where they will contest the North American leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series.
If Ismaiel steps onto the field in Los Angeles (February 25-26) he will achieve the rare feat of becoming one of a handful of players who have represented the Boks, Junior Boks and Blitzboks.
The 30-year-old speedster is one of three changes to the Blitzboks side which lost in the Sydney Sevens final vs New Zealand last month.
He was offered a new lease on his rugby life by the Springbok Sevens Academy after a shoulder injury that nearly ended his rugby career.
Ronald Brown and Mfundo Ndhlovu are the other two additions to the squad, replacing the trio of Darren Adonis, Dalvon Blood and Shaun Williams. Williams sustained a knee injury during training this week, while Adonis and Blood had season-ending injuries in Sydney.
Blitzboks coach Sandile Ngcobo welcomed the inclusion of Ismaiel for the first time.
“Travis worked very hard to come back from what seemed to be a career-ending shoulder injury," said Ngcobo.
"All of the rugby fraternity should be very pleased about this good news story. I expect him to make a real impact in Los Angeles and credit to our high-performance manager, Marius Schoeman, who made a brave decision to bring Travis into our set-up when he had nowhere else to go.”
Captain Siviwe Soyizwapi picked up a shoulder injury in Sydney but came through the team's final practice session unscathed to lead them.
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Brown and Ndhlovu's return should boost the team in the game-breaking department. Brown's ability to sneak through the smallest of gaps with his side-stepping or to stab a kick over the defence or across the field into space will be key for the Blitzboks.
“Ronald and Mfundo bounced back well after their disappointments in Hong Kong and they return at the right time, as we lost Selvyn Davids and Darren Adonis on the last trip, and Shaun during the week.
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“Both (Brown and Ndhlovu) are World Series winners, and we will need their game-breaking abilities in Los Angeles in what will be a very competitive tournament once again.”
The Blitzboks are set to face Ireland, Uruguay and Canada in Pool B of the LA Sevens tournament.
The Springbok Sevens squad (tournaments in brackets): Ryan Oosthuizen (37 tournaments), Impi Visser (26), Zain Davids (37), James Murphy (13), Christie Grobbelaar (12), Masande Mtshali (4), Siviwe Soyizwapi (captain, 45), Travis Ismaiel (uncapped), Jaiden Baron (2), Ricardo Duarttee (4), Ronald Brown (9), Shilton van Wyk (9), Mfundo Ndhlovu (11).
IOL Sport