Paris in Review: South African Rugby Sevens Team Secures Historic Olympic Bronze

The South African Men’s Rugby Sevens team made history by winning the country’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport. The Blitzboks claimed the bronze medal after a hard-fought 26-19 victory over Australia in the 3rd/4th place playoff.

Hard fought road to medal

While the bronze finish brought joy to the team and the nation, the journey to the podium was anything but smooth. The Blitzboks faced a challenging path, beginning with two tough losses on the first day of the competition. In a tournament where only the top two teams from each pool, along with the two best third-placed teams, could advance to the quarterfinals, South Africa’s chances of progression seemed slim. However, they kept their hopes alive with a dominant 49-5 win against Japan, securing their spot in the knockout stages.

In their opening match against Ireland, the Blitzboks were caught off guard by a resolute Irish defense. Ireland struck first, scoring a try just before halftime to lead 5-0. Despite a late try from Selvyn Davids, the Blitzboks couldn’t overturn the deficit, eventually falling 10-5 to Ireland.

Next, South Africa faced a formidable New Zealand team. The match was fiercely contested, with both sides showing their attacking intent early on. New Zealand opened the scoring, but South Africa quickly responded to level the score. However, the Kiwis managed to pull ahead just before halftime, leading 10-5. In the second half, New Zealand’s defense held firm, and a try from Moses Leo sealed a 17-5 victory for the All Blacks.

Massive win over Japanese sparked comeback

With their Olympic hopes hanging by a thread, South Africa needed a convincing win against Japan to advance. They delivered with a stunning 49-5 victory, the largest margin of the tournament, securing their place in the quarterfinals where they would face New Zealand once more.

In the rematch, South Africa showed their resilience and tactical prowess. Tristan Leyds scored the opening try for the Blitzboks, and they extended their lead to 14-0 by halftime. New Zealand managed to score just before the break, but South Africa’s defense held strong in the second half, securing a 14-7 victory and a place in the semifinals.

Semifinal Showdown: France Prevails Over Blitzboks in Tight Contest

The semifinal clash at the Stade De France against the host nation, France, was always going to be a stern test. In a tense and scoreless first half, both teams’ defenses were impenetrable. South Africa struck first in the second half with another try from Leyds, but France quickly responded with a try and conversion to take a 7-5 lead. The French team, spurred on by their home crowd, then scored two more tries in quick succession, securing a 19-5 victory and a place in the gold medal match, leaving South Africa to contest for bronze.

The bronze medal match against Australia was a thrilling encounter. With the score tied at 19-19 and just two minutes remaining, Shaun Williams crossed the try line for South Africa, with the successful conversion sealing a 26-19 win and the bronze medal.

Bronze Medal along with some incentives from SASCOC

The Blitzboks’ achievement marks a significant milestone for South African rugby, demonstrating the team’s resilience and ability to perform under pressure. The squad, consisting of 13 players—Christie Grobbelaar, Ryan Oosthuizen, Zain Davids, Quewin Nortje, Tristan Leyds, Selvyn Davids, Shilton Van Wyk, Impi Visser, Tiaan Pretorius, Shaun Williams, Rosko Specman, Siviwe Soyizwapi, and Ronald Brown—delivered when it mattered most. Their victory also earned each player, along with the team coach, a R50,000 incentive from the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) as a reward for their bronze medal triumph.

This historic achievement will be remembered as a testament to the Blitzboks’ determination and the strength of South African rugby on the global stage.