VALLADOLID, Spain — It was a tale of contrasting fortunes for the South African national sevens teams as the SVNS World Championship kicked off in Valladolid, Spain. The Blitzboks ground out an unbeaten opening day to set up a decisive pool clash with Australia, while the Springbok Women’s side showed immense grit but ultimately fell short against three powerhouse nations.
With the stakes at an all-time high—only the top eight teams will qualify for next season’s World Series—the reigning World Series champion Blitzboks dug deep to secure two vital victories in a highly competitive Pool A.
The South African men were forced to work for every inch of turf on Friday. They opened their campaign by surviving a major scare against Great Britain, needing a golden point in extra-time from Tristan Leyds to escape with a 17-12 victory.
Their second assignment was a brutal, physical battle against a desperate Kenyan side bidding for permanent World Series status. The Shujaa threw everything at the Blitzboks, bringing relentless physicality to the contact areas, but South Africa’s defensive composure and two moments of individual brilliance secured a 14-0 shutout.
Deep in the first half, with Kenya on the attack, Shilton van Wyk read a pass perfectly, snatching an interception and racing 50 metres to break the deadlock. The match remained uncomfortably tight until a pivotal moment in the second half when Kenya’s Denis Abukuse was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on during a tackle on Leyds.
Capitalising on the one-man advantage, the Blitzboks opted for a scrum, kept the initial attack tight, and then unleashed their backline. Playmaker Selvyn Davids executed a pinpoint kick-pass that found Sebastiaan Jobb out wide, who crossed in the corner to seal the win.
The Blitzboks’ 2-0 record sets up a mouth-watering Pool A decider against an Australian side prepared for this tournament by Wallaby 15s coach Joe Schmidt. Australia is also unbeaten, having edged Kenya in extra-time before defeating Great Britain 26-19. The highly anticipated showdown for pool honours kicks off at 13:23 (SA Time) on Saturday.
Tough Run for Springbok Women
In the women’s tournament, the Springbok Women’s Sevens faced an unforgiving Pool B draw. They showed tremendous second-half resilience on Day 1 but ultimately dropped both of their opening matches by identical 26-12 margins to perennial heavyweights Australia and the United States.
Hoping to bounce back on Saturday morning, the South Africans came agonisingly close to securing their first win of the tournament against Fiji, but ultimately fell 17-12 in a fiercely contested battle at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla.
South Africa struck first when playmaker Byrhandré Dolf crossed the whitewash in the 3rd minute to take a 5-0 lead. However, Fiji responded with a devastating three-minute blitz bridging the halftime break. Tries from Atelaite Buna Ralivanawa (6′), Rogosau Adimereani (7′), and Reapi Ulunisau (8′), alongside a Mariana Talatoka conversion, suddenly put the Pacific Islanders 17-5 ahead.
Refusing to back down, the South African women fought their way back into the contest. Speedster Maria Tshiremba broke through for a try in the 11th minute, which Dolf successfully converted to narrow the gap to five points. Despite a frantic push in the closing stages, Fiji managed to hold on to their slender lead before the final whistle.
While the scoreboard hasn’t favoured the Springbok Women, their ability to score against the world’s top-ranked sides and their refusal to capitulate points to a squad that continues to grow in tenacity on the global stage.
For More South African Sports News: Sport South Africa Home Page
