IQEMBU lesizwe labesilisa lebhola lombhoxo iSevens, lizoqala isizini ka-2023/2024 yeWorld Rugby Sevens Series eDubai kule mpelasonto engekho umqeqeshi walo uSandile Ngcobo, osale ekhaya ngenxa yokulimala.
UNgcobo ulimale umsipha ohlanganisa isithende nomlenze, i-Achilles, emasontweni amabili edlule, kwadingeka ukuthi ahlinzwe. Iphini lakhe, uPhilip Snyman, lizohola iqembu njengoba libheke ukuqala isizini ngenothi elihle ngemuva kokubhacaza kwedlule lapho liqede khona endaweni yesikhombisa kwi-log.
UNgcobo uzobuyela eqenjini uma selilungiselela umqhudelwano olandelayo ozodlalelwa eKapa ngempelasonto ezayo.
Enkundleni lizoholwa nguSelvyn Davids njengoba kusazothatha isikhathi ukuthi abuye ukaputeni uSiviwe Soyizwapi, owalimala edolweni.
“Ngimethemba ngokugcwele uPhilip ukuthi uzokwazi ukuhola iqembu. Bazomeseka abadlali abanamava, kanjalo nomqeqeshi uMarius Schoeman (oyinhloko yesikhungo se-SA Rugby Sevens). Ngizoyilandela kahle imidlalo ngiphinde ngibonisane nabaqeqeshi,” kusho uNgcobo.
“USiviwe uzobuya ngasekupheleni kwesizini ngonyaka ozayo. Sifuna ukuthi agxile ekululameni angakhathazeki ngokuhola iqembu nengcindezi ehambisana nalokho. USelvyn uke walihola iqembu ngesizini edlule ngesikhathi uSiviwe engekho. Ngakho-ke siyamethemba ngokugcwele.”
AmaBlitzbokke azoqala umqhudelwano kwiPool A kusasa neSamoa ngo-8.50 ekuseni, iCanada ngo-12:58 emini neNew Zealand ngo-6:44 ebusuku.
Khonamanjalo, iqembu lesizwe labesifazane nalo lizobe liseDubai lizodlala okokuqala esigabeni esiphezulu. Leli qembu linokaputeni ababili uMathrin Simmers noZintle Mpupha, kanti licijwa nguRanfred Dazel.
U-Asisipho Plaatjies, odlala phambili, uthe: “Sesiyingxenye yamaqembu asezingeni eliphezulu emhlabeni. Lokho kusho ukuthi yonke imidlalo izoba nzima kakhulu kodwa besingeke sidlule ebunzimeni obungaka ukuze sifinyelele kuleli zinga bese sihluleka ukwamukela izinselelo esizobhekana nazo. Inhloso yethu enkulu wukuhlala kulesi sigaba esiphezulu, okusho ukuthi kumele sidlale kahle kuyona yonke imiqhudelwano.”
IMbokodo (iqembu labesifazane) izoqala umqhudelwano kwiPool A kusasa neNew Zealand ngo-7.44 ekuseni, iFiji ngo-10.43 ekuseni, neGreat Britain ngo-3.13 ntambama.