Top stars head sevens cup trials

Sevens rugby will at last take the limelight when some of the game's big names assemble at Florida Park in Ravensmead for world cup trials on Monday and Tuesday.

The ruling by the South African Rugby Football Union that Super 12 players be made available means Sevens coach Norman Mbiko will, for the first time since he took over last year, have a pool of top players to choose from for the world cup.

The event takes place in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from January 26 to 28.

Already the Stormers - who start their Super 12 training camp in George on Monday - are without Breyton Paulse, Marius Joubert and Bobby Skinstad.

Springbok and Stormers wing Pieter Rossouw withdrew from the trials at the weekend because of a hamstring injury.

The Sharks' Albert van den Berg and Trevor Halstead have also withdrawn due to injuries and another Shark, Deon Kayser, is still doubtful.

Other Springboks included in the group of 40 invited to attend the trials include Andre Venter, Joost van der Westhuizen - tipped to lead a star-studded South African team in Argentina - and Grant Esterhuizen.

Mbiko and fellow selectors Wynand Claassen and Cliffie Booysen will name the 10-man squad for the Sevens extravaganza tomorrow.

If the big names are included, it means they will only be part of their Super 12 squads until January 15 and then rejoin their regional teams in early February.

Mbiko will have another week of training and fine-tuning in South Africa from January 16 before the squad depart for Argentina on January 20.

SA are drawn with France, Canada, Cook Islands, Georgia and Chinese Taipei in Pool B.

Groups:

Pool A: Fiji, Korea, Argentina, Russia, Kenya and Ireland

Pool B: South Africa, France, Cook Islands, Canada, Georgia and Chinese Taipei

Pool C: New Zealand, England, Zimbabwe, Japan, Chile and Spain

Pool D: Samoa, Australia, Wales, Portugal, Hong Kong and United States