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Springbok Sevens coach, Paul Treu, has welcomed back key playmaker Renfred Dazel for the next two legs of the IRB Sevens World Sevens Series in Wellington and Las Vegas.

The World Series holders were without Dazel for the first two legs of this season in Dubai and George, due to a recurring a knee injury.

Ryno Benjamin is also back in the squad after he sat out the SA Sevens in George because of disciplinary reasons. Treu included Dazel after the player proved his fitness at the recent training camp in Stellenbosch and he will add much needed experience to the backs.

There are also three newcomers to squad with the Vodacom Free State U21 duo of Philip van der Walt and Hoffman Maritz as well as Steven Hunt (Vodacom Western Province U21).

The young trio replace Shaun Venter, Deon Helberg and MJ Mentz. Regular captain Paul Delport is recovering from an ankle injury while veteran Neil Powell is still nursing a sore shoulder. The team will be now be led by Mzwandile Stick.

South Africa have disappointed so far this season, suffering the effects of missing players which have contributed to two Cup quarter-final exits.

The Kiwi’s are currently the pacesetters in the Series after recording impressive back-to-back wins in Dubai and George. They have collected the maximum 48 points on offer and are followed by Fiji (36) and England (28). South Africa, the defending Series champion, is further back in eighth place with 16 points.

South Africa’s group opponents in Wellington are hosts New Zealand, Wales and Niue while in Las Vegas the team will battle against Fiji, the USA and Canada on the first day.

South Africa sqaud for Wellington and Las Vegas:
Mpho Mbiyozo, Chase Minnaar, Frankie Horne, Cecil Afrika, Kyle Brown, Renfred Dazel, Ryno Benjamin, Mzwandile Stick, Marius Schoeman, Steven Hunt (Vodacom Western Province U21), Hoffman Maritz, Philip van der Walt (both Vodacom Free State U21).