SOUTH Africa closed off a rather challenging Rugby Sevens season with a triumphant win in the United States, at the Los Angeles Sevens tournament, to win the overall men’s series title.
Africa’s most successful rugby men’s Sevens team fought against finalists Spain to win 19-5 , to cap an unbeaten tournament campaign and claim their first world series title since 2021.
The Blitzbok’s clinical attack moves outplayed the Spanish outfit, with massive tries scored by Zander Reynders and Selwyn Davids, who was named Player of the Final.
The team managed to keep Spain away from their tryline with solid defence, and when in possession, struck when necessary and even managed to score when down to six men following a late yellow card to Zander Reynders.
Despite the late yellow card that left them with just six men on the field, the Blitzboks managed to keep Spain at bay with solid defence and capitalised on their opportunities to secure the win.
Spain’s attempts were thwarted throughout the game by a relentless South African defence, with their only try scored in the second half. Spain’s captain Pol Pla brought his team to within two points with a fine try, but a missed conversion and additional tries by Mfundo Ndhlovu and Ricardo Duartee extended South Africa’s advantage.
Their strong performances at Dignity Health Sports Park over the weekend saw pool victories over France, Great Britain and Argentina. The Blitzboks also outplayed New Zealand and Spain in the semi-finals and finals to lift the World Championship trophy for the first time.
South Africa’s coach, Phillip Snyman, praised the team’s efforts and handed them most of the credit for their title achievement.
“The players deserve so much credit for the way they played here in Los Angeles. We had some good parts and some bad parts to our season, but this weekend we got it all together, and that is a very satisfying feeling,” said Snyman.
Snyman said the weekend had proved that the Blitzboks were back to where they should be and were boosted by their shared belief in the title prospects.
He added: “Any coach will tell you that your plan can only be as good as the buy-in from the players and then their execution thereof. This weekend it all [came] together. They really stuck to our plan but also, importantly, played the moments when it was there to exploit. They did some exceptional things on the field during this tournament, and all the credit must go to them.”
Argentina’s Luciano Gonzalez and New Zealand’s Jorja Miller were named men’s and women’s HSBC SVNS Player of the Year, respectively. The New Zealand women’s side beat reigning champions Australia 31-7 in a testament to the Maori side’s dominant season performance.
“Man, that feels good. After the Olympic gold medal we wanted to show we are a great team and to us that was winning the League and winning the [World Championship] series, and we did it,” New Zealand captain Sarah Hirini said.
For African nations, Kenya’s teams were fortunate, as the men beat Canada 24-5 and the women overcame South Africa17-14, to delight their large number of diaspora fans inside the stadium.
Despite tries and conversions by Nadine Roos and Shiniqwa Lamprecht, the team’s defeat was credited to their careless mistakes in passing and a red card for Alicia Willemse for a dangerous tackle, which gave Kenya the late advantage to snatch the win.
The Kenyan women’s rugby sevens team will join Brazil and China as qualified for next season’s Division 2 sevens league. Double tries by Freshia Oduor, along with a try by Sharon Auma and Sinaida Myachio’s successful conversions, gave Kenya their much-needed win for a Division 2 entry.
“It really means a lot for me and my team,” said Freshia Oduor. “We have come from far to here. It was really good.”
South Africa’s close defeat to their African foes means that they will have to revert to the regional route to qualify for the new second-tier competition in the new season in 2026.
