By Yanga Qinga for www.connectsportsacademy.co.za

The dust has barely settled on the Paris 7s and the giant-killing antics of Samoa. The interim has been equally colourful, with Jarred Hayne grabbing headlines without having played a single game in his life. This phenomenal athlete has switched from Rugby League to NFL. He’s now quit NFL to try his luck with Fiji, only to discover his Olympic dream may turn out to be just that. All quicker than you can sail across the English Channel.

London Calling

No rock band could have scripted a better anthem than The Clash for Lun-dun this weekend. So what lies in wait as we visit the land of red telephone boxes and Bobbies on the beat with silly hats? Twickenham is in the capital of the nation that brought us rugby, soccer, cricket and fish & chips. Sadly, they’re no longer any good at those and rumour has it they’re also loosening the grip on their love for the once renowned ‘cuppa’ tea that built the British Empire.

A numbers game

This is the 16th edition of the London Sevens and New Zealand has won the lion’s share, with five tournament victories. England have won their home series on three occasions, while Fiji and our Blitzboks are tied on two wins apiece.
At the business end, Fiji have opened up an almost unassailable 14 point lead over the Boks, although a strong finish in London will stand us in good stead for the Olympics as the second seeds.

Any given Sunday

The true appeal of this game and the World Series is that it has been splendidly packaged as a truly global sport. Sevens is fast, flowing and dynamic. More importantly, any team that shows up on a weekend can take a series win. The glory isn’t restricted to the top tier nations alone, as we saw in the Paris and Singapore legs.

Last Rounds

Whether you’re watching in a pub with mates or around the braai, this weekend will be all about fine tuning the squads to chase gold at the Rio Olympics. This will be the one tournament where every player will try to put their hand highest for a ticket to the Games. The sun may have set on Bryan Habana and Damien de Allende’s Olympic dreams, but there have been several stellar men in green and gold, just dreaming of the highest sporting accolades.

Empty the tank

If you’re familiar with New Zealand rugby, you’ll often have heard references to the phrase ‘empty the tank’. It’s a call to action, to give it their all – whether doing a Haka, in training or on matchday. This would be a good weekend to finish by running on fumes.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot

Bet you didn’t know this hymn was originally a Negro spiritual, sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University. You may ask how it became the anthem for English rugby. Legend has it that in 1988, a group of schoolboys were serenading the one and only Chris Oti, at Twickenham, during a 5 Nations game against Ireland. The rest is history, but if this sweet chariot can take our Blitzboks to sevens heaven this weekend, many supporters will receive blessings with the accompanying humility.

Saffas, ASSEMBLE!

Our beloved Blitzboks have a home away from home in south west London and can expect a groundswell of expat support from the minute their fixtures kick off at Twickenham.

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