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Over the next few weekends some of the leading African nations will go tête-à-tête at various tournaments across the Rainbow Nation.

Outside of the IRB Sevens World Series, which again heads to George in December, large-scale tournaments for the abbreviated code have remained a rare breed in South Africa over the years.

But the landscape looks like it finally might be starting to change.

This Saturday will see the third edition of the Middelburg Sevens (17-18 September) with the inaugural Platinum Sevens, a tournament hosted by the Leopards, taking place the following weekend (24-26 September).

For South Africa and Kenya, Middelburg will give some much needed match practice as preparations for the hugely anticipated Commonwealth Games next month continue.

It means fans will get to see some best sevens talent around up close with the likes Cecil Afrika, Ryno Benjamin and Paul Delport all set to star.

Kenya have picked a similar side that recently travelled to the UK for the Middlesex Sevens with some of their major stars missing. But Mwamba's Edgar Abere, MVP at the Western Union Christie and Prinsloo Sevens, and Dennis Muhanji are included along with Gray Cullen - a wrecking ball of a player looking to make his mark in the shortened form.

Zimbabwe, who are entering two sides, along with Namibia and Zambia are also heading to Mpumalanga in what gives fans in South Africa a rare chance to see quality rugby sevens on their doorstep.

South Africa coach Paul Treu is of course one of the sport’s great disciples and he takes great pleasure in taking his squad out to the sticks to meet the fans and spread the word.

With a fresh feel to his squad the game-time will be invaluable for Treu’s squad.

“I personally really feel Paul values this tournament. He uses it to try new players. In the past the tournament has also produced Springboks like Shaun Venter, Branco du Preez and Deon Helberg,” says organiser Jakes van der Merwe. 

Treu will also host a coaching session in conjunction with the Pumas on Thursday in the lead up to the big kick-off.

To entice some of the cash-strapped African nations, the tournament had made their very best efforts to keep costs at a minimum, such is the financial burden flying a team over can have on various unions.

Along with the internationals comes some of South Africa’s most promising talent from various sides like the Blue Bulls, Free State and Lions who will be looking for international scalps and local bragging rights.

Van der Merwe memorably reflects back on the first year of competition when the local Pumas side secured a shock win over South Africa.

The 16 sides will be now be split into four pools compared to last year’s ‘fixed’ schedule with Nashua and Nahua Mobile giving invaluable sponsorship to the event.

Encouragingly the sport is popular as ever on a school level as we have seen with on UR7s with the national @lantic series.

And it’s the local high school in Middelburg who will again play host to third staging of the event

“MHS (Middelburg High School) is also one of South Africa's leading sevens schools, finishing 3rd in last year’s national competition,” adds Van der Merwe.

“The Middelburg 7s started as part of the school's 90th anniversary and has since grown into this fully fledge international tournament”.

Platinum Sevens

Interestingly some of South Africa’s very best school boys will be on show in the Platinum Sevens the following week.

From the 12 rounds of the @tlantic Series various ‘Players of the Tournaments’ have been selected at each event. The players will now form a dream team in Rustenburg mixing it up in the international division. The school boys will tackle South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Northern Region, Botswana and Zimbabwe Goshawks in the International section.

There is an overriding feeling that the school youth are the future of South Africa Sevens and this will surely benefit the national team as we approach Olympic Rugby in 2016.

16 clubs and provinces, eight primary schools and 24 high schools will participate at the Platinum, to make up what will be it one of the biggest tournaments on the African continent.

"We are very proud and excited that the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is set to host this tournament" said George Khunou, managing director of Royal Bafonkeng Sports.

"We are also looking to become the home of sevens in South Africa and Africa and we see this tournament playing a major role in the process."

It is hoped the tournament will contribute towards the development of rugby in the region and, similarly to Middelburg, coaching clinics will also be set-up.

So South African rugby sevens looks like it is starting to evolve. Interestingly decent sponsors are being secured for some of these events illustrating the potential the sport has in a rugby mad country. Whisperings of a first proper ‘Series’ for the sport in South Africa have also been mooted but is still a pipedream as things stand. Surely that will also develop at some point.

Olympic stature and success of the Boks in the 08/09 IRB World Sevens Series may have been the triggers to wake up South Africa to the possibilities of the sport.