UCT Sevens eyes USSA championships

For good cause: UCT rugby team recently hosted an event to raise awareness and funds for the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players' Fund, which assist victims of catastrophic or serious rugby injuries.

As the Springbok Sevens team prepares to redeem its leader-of-the-pack status at the International Rugby Board Sevens Series in Dubai this weekend, UCT Sevens team battles it out for the University Sports South Africa title at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Sassveld campus in George.

Today, the UCT side takes on Walter Sisulu University, the Durban University of Technology, and Natal Varsity College, before locking horns with Cape Town neighbours the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The first goal is to win at least three of its opening four games to qualify for a semi-final berth on 4 December.

UCT had to convince players to delay their holidays, and had trained hard to do well in the competition.

"We have a competitive side, and we will do our best to fly the UCT flag high," said Gavin Sheldom, UCT's general manager of rugby.

The UCT Sevens squad is made up of captain David Russel, his vice Mark Winter, and team-mates James Tatum, Richard Steward, Nicholas Farrar, Scott Watermeyer, Ross Jones-Davies, Ian Armstrong, Oliver Braithwaite, Justin de Kock, Wesley Ball, Stuart Hablutzel and Jean-Paul Huffel. The team is coached by Mike van den Rheede, assisted by Robert Macfarlan, while Harold Kessler is the team manager. For more information on how the team is doing, please website.