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Whilst Paul Treu’s national squad were battling it out at the Singapore Cricket Club Sevens over the weekend, some of South Africa’s best domestic talent was on show at Inter-Provincial Sevens tournament at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Saturday.

Eastern Province’s men and women teams captured both titles courtesy of exctings wins in the final.

The Eastern Province Women’s team defended their national title with a convincing 15-5 win over their Eastern Cape neighbours Border. It was the EP Women’s fourth consecutive title.

EP’s men team then followed the example of their women provincial colleagues when they defeated KwaZulu-Natal 31-29.

And the EP teams also scooped both individual player awards on offer. Attacking dynamo Zenay Jordaan deservedly won the Women’s Player of the Tournament Award while SA Sevens' Howard Noble won the Men’s Player of the Tournament accolade.

Mahlubi Phuzi, the SARU Manager for Sevens and Women’s Rugby, said he was pleased with the standard of play in both the categories.

“The women’s game is improving quite fast and the competitiveness and standard of rugby will improve further if we can provide more competitions for the female players. Women’s rugby has got huge potential, as was proven by the Springbok Sevens’ semi-final spot at the Sevens World Cup in Dubai earlier this year.

“I am especially pleased for the Eastern Cape that the region provided three of the four teams in the two finals. The region is passionate about rugby and we need to assist and develop the huge pool of talent that is available in this part of the country,” said Phuzi.