Ex-Blitzboks coach picks his 7s dream team from World Cup-winning Springboks

Former Blitzboks player and head coach Paul Treu has picked his ultimate sevens teams from the Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks.

Treu was head coach of the South African sevens team for over a decade after four years as a player and captain of the side.

Paul Treu’s Springbok sevens team

With the Olympics fast approaching, several XVs internationals are making themselves available to their sevens sides, including France captain Antoine Dupont and ex-Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper.

This has caused several debates on social media about the dream or ultimate teams each country could pick to play sevens from the 15-a-side code.

Treu has weighed in on the debates, revealing his team from the Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks in an exchange on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Popular South African account @Oom_Rugby posted the question to his followers in a post.

It read: “Was going to post team of Boks for a hypothetic Sevens team.. but then I realised, I have no idea how Sevens actually work. Those who understand Sevens, what names is needed for what roles?

“Kwagga, Williams, Kolbe, Arendse, Willemse all on the list, I am sure?”

The former Blitzboks head coach replied, saying that he is tempted to answer before later doing so.

In sevens, there are two props, a hooker, a sweeper (much like a scrum-half in the XVs game), a fly-half, a centre and a winger.

In picking his sevens team, Treu opted for Springboks’ full-back Damian Willemse as one of his props, with centre Jesse Kriel as the other.

Springboks forward Kwagga Smith has vast experience on the sevens circuit, having made over 158 times for South Africa, and understandably, Treu picked him as his hooker.

Scrum-half Grant Williams played on the wing for the Boks during the World Cup and is renowned for his pace, and Treu included him as his sweeper.

Meanwhile, Cheslin Kolbe was selected as fly-half, with fellow speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse selected as the side winger – both players also have sevens experience.

Finally, Canan Moodie rounds out Treu’s team as the centre.

1. Damian W – LH Prop
2. Kwagga – Hooker
3. Jesse – TH Prop
4. Grant – Sweeper
5. Cheslin – FH
6. Canan – Centre
7. Kurt-Lee – Wing

— 1+1=5 (@paultreu) November 18, 2023

Treu’s career

In 2013, parted ways with SA Rugby and was replaced by Neil Powell as head coach of the Blitzboks.

During his time as the Blitzboks’ head coach, Treu won the Sevens World Series title in 2009 and won 14 tournaments in all.

He also coached the side at three Rugby World Cup Sevens and led it to bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and India in 2010.

Treu has worked with Kenya, Japan, and the Stormers as their defence coach after his time with the South African sevens team.

He is currently the head of rugby at the University of the Western Cape.

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