Paul Delport named Springbok Sevens captain

Dubai: Paul Delport was on Friday named as captain of the Springbok Sevens squad for the 2009/2010 IRB Sevens World Series, starting at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens next month.

Delport's elevation is a natural succession after previously captaining the SA Schools and national Under-21 and Under-19 teams.

Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu believes that Delport's appointment as captain for the new season would further strengthen the existing leadership structures within the Sevens squad.

"All the senior and contracted players in the squad fully endorse Paul as their captain for the season," said Treu.

"We want to create a platform for all our players to excel as leaders. This is part of the legacy we want to build. In the future, there will be new captains and leaders who will take over from Paul, so it's important to have many leaders in our setup.

"The Vodacom Bulls have proved to be successful thanks to their leaders such as Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez and Bakkies Botha in their squad."

Seniors

Players such as Mzwandile Stick, Mpho Mbiyozo and Neil Powell, who have previously captained the SA Sevens side, are all expected to play a huge role as senior players in the side that intends to defend their crown as IRB Sevens World Series Champions.

"Our mentality within the squad is that of a team and not individuals. While Paul has been named captain, our strength will continue to be based on a team effort. That's what I am expecting," added Treu.

Tickets for the Dubai Rugby Sevens are still available through www.dubairugby7s.com.