Blitzboks forward Kwagga Smith is not only determined to add another successful stint with South Africa to his already impressive rugby CV, he also wants to improve his skill set as a player, something he is almost guaranteed to do in the next couple of months on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
The 2017/2018 World Sevens Series starts tomorrow when the Dubai Sevens opens the ten tournament showpiece and for Smith, who experienced the ups and downs of rugby in 2016, it is another opportunity to grow and to improve as a player.
Smith tasted tournament victories in three of the four tournaments he played for South Africa in the series and continued to impress in the fifteens code, playing for the Lions in the Super Rugby competition.
Smith was red‑carded in the final of Super Rugby, but he took solace in the fact that his rugby friends supported him in that tough time.
He was named Man of the Match for the Barbarians in a highly entertaining match against the All Blacks earlier this month.
The Springbok Sevens will face Uganda, Kenya and Canada in Pool A.
Meanwhile the Fiji Airways Men’s 7s team will take on Russia at 7.06pm tomorrow in their first game, they will then face Wales at 10.06pm tomorrow before facing Australia at 4.06am Saturday in their last pool match of the Dubai 7s.
Barring any upsets, Fiji is likely to meet Scotland or France in the quarter final, they are likely to take on England or Australia in the semifinal, or New Zealand or South Africa in the final.
The Medal quarterfinals will start at 6.30pm Saturday, the semifinals will be held at 1.19am Sunday while the final will kick off at 4.33am Sunday.
South Africa are the defending champions. Fiji has only won the Dubai 7s title twice which was in 2013 and 2015. We have lost out in the final seven times.
