Adendorf on Vipers duty

Maties utility forward Jonathan Adendorf will play for the South African Vipers Sevens team in a warm-up tournament in Mar del Plata, Argentina, early next year.

Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu has chosen five 'Blitz Boks' regulars for this tournament on January 6-7, 2010 and seven Under-21 stars - with Adendorf one of many players given the chance to force their way into Treu's first-choice squad.

Adendorf, of course, was a member of the 2009 Varsity Cup-winning Maties squad and offers plenty of grunt, thanks to his big frame - on both attack and defence.

Speedster Renfred Dazel - who missed the first two IRB Sevens World Series tournaments in Dubai and George due to knee surgery - has also been included in the 12-man squad and is set to make a welcome return to action.

Meanwhile, Treu also announced his national training squad which will assemble in early January in Stellenbosch in preparation for the next two IRB Sevens World Series events in Wellington and Las Vegas (in February 2010).

Treu and the SA Vipers team depart to Argentina on January 3, whilst the rest of training squad - including former Varsity Cup stars Kyle Brown and Chase Minnaar - will begin their preparations the following day under the guidance of conditioning coach Allan Temple-Jones.

The SA Vipers squad (for Mar del Plata): Chris Dry, Jonathan Adendorf, Hoffman Maritz, Ryno Benjamin, Phillip van der Walt, Branco du Preez, Renfred Dazel, Cecil Africa, Shaun Venter, MJ Mentz, Steven Hunt, Deon Helberg.

The SA training squad is (contracted by SA Rugby unless indicated): Jonathan Adendorf, Kyle Brown, Frankie Horne, Cecil Africa, Shaun Venter, Ryno Benjamin, MJ Mentz, Marius Schoeman, Chris Dry, Mpho Mbiyozo, Branco du Preez (Blue Bulls U19), Mzwandile Stick, JW Jonker, Deon Helberg (Blue Bulls U21), Chase Minnaar, Bryan Shabangu (Sharks), Hoffman Maritz (Cheetahs U21), Renfred Dazel, Phillip van der Walt (Cheetahs U21), Steven Hunt (WP U21).