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The draw for this weekend’s 62nd Singapore Cricket Club Sevens (SCC 7s) has been made, with the returning double reigning champions, South Africa Vipers, favourites for the title once again.

The Vipers, a shadow team for Paul Treu’s South Africa side, will meet Japan Samurai, Indonesian Harimau, and NT Mosquitoes in tomorrow’s pool play.

This will be Treu’s final tournament before the start of the defence of their IRB World Sevens Series crown in Dubai on 4-5 of December. After recent run outs at Namibia Sevens, Brookside, and Middelburg, the SCC 7s gives one last opportunity to test some combinations.

We still have a lot of work to do before we can travel to Dubai with confidence,” said Treu.

“Singapore gives us the opportunity to try some new things and also to have a closer look at how some of the newcomers will perform in a very competitive environment.”

Treu have included four new players to his crop of contracted regulars – they are JW Jonker (Cheetahs), Chris Dry (Cheetahs U21), Steven Hunt (WP U21) and Bernado Botha (Lions U21).

The rest of the squad is Frankie Horne, the newly crowned 2009 SA Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, Kyle Brown, Marius Schoeman, Paul Delport, Cecil Afrika, Mzwandile Stick, Mpho Mbiyozo and Shaun Venter (Pumas).
Another South African threat comes from the SA Universities, who was also unbeaten at Middelburg last weekend. They are have been placed in Pool C with The Flying Kukris, East Arnhem Rugby, and Impala.

The Vipers biggest rivals could once again be from Davetalevu. The Fijians were narrowly beaten 10-5 in last year’s final and will tackle Cobra, Indian Rivals, and hosts Singapore Cricket Club, who themselves warmed for this event at last weekend’s Bangkok Sevens.

Hong Kong, runners up at the Borneo Sevens last weekend, are also sending a side to Padang and include veteran Mark Wright in a squad that is captained by Ricky Cheuk and will look to make good progress over the two days.

Perennial overseas tourists, Rugby Ecosse, are back once again at the SCC and Scotland’s premier Sevens side will face a tough ask in Pool A facing NS Wanderers, Singapore Barbarians and Hong Kong.

SCC 7s Pools:

Pool A – NS Wanderers, Rugby Ecosse, NT Mosquitoes, Hong Kong Football Club.
Pool B – Singapore Cricket Club, Indian Invaders, Davetalevu, Cobra
Pool C - The Flying Kukris, East Arnhem Rugby, Impala, SA Universities
Pool D – SA Vipers, Japan Samurai, Indonesian Harimau, NT Mosquitoes,
Pool E – Ponsonby, Cottesloe, Palmyra, Southern Lions
Pool F – Oriental Rongotai, Borneo Eagles, Hong Kong Step, Casuarina Cougars