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World Cup winner Bryan Habana named in South Africa’s sevens squad for Rio Games

Toulon winger in preliminary side alongside fellow Springboks Ryan Kankowski, Francois Hougaard and Juan de Jongh

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Toulon's South African winger Bryan Habana warms up before a French Top 14 match between Montpellier and Toulon in May. Photo: AFP

Rugby World Cup winner Bryan Habana is one of four 15-a-side international players in South Africa’s initial Olympics sevens squad.

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Springboks Habana, Ryan Kankowski, Francois Hougaard and Juan de Jongh have been selected in a group of 19 to prepare for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

That squad will be trimmed down to 12 for the games in August, when rugby sevens returns to the Olympic roster.

Toulon's Bryan Habana is tackled by Montpellier's Wiaan Liebenberg during the French Top 14 rugby Union match against Montpellier in May.
Toulon's Bryan Habana is tackled by Montpellier's Wiaan Liebenberg during the French Top 14 rugby Union match against Montpellier in May.

Habana has taken time off from playing for the Springboks to concentrate on sevens in a bid to appear at the Olympics, but South Africa sevens coach Neil Powell has warned that Habana’s commitments to French club Toulon “could count against him when I make my final selection”.

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Habana will join up with the sevens squad late because of his contract with Toulon.

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