The Springbok Women’s Sevens team secured the inaugural HSBC SVNS 3 tournament title in Dubai on Sunday, defeating Argentina 12-5 in a gripping final that showcased their defensive resilience and attacking flair.
The South African side maintained a perfect record, winning all five matches throughout the weekend. The victory marks coach Cecil Afrika’s second consecutive tournament title since assuming control in October, following their Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup triumph in Nairobi during November.
The final against Argentina tested the Springboks’ mettle. South Africa started sluggishly, relying on robust early defence to contain their opponents whilst struggling to convert attacking opportunities. Argentina capitalised on this hesitancy, scoring the only try of the first half to lead 5-0 at the interval.
The second half delivered high drama. South Africa’s attack finally clicked, with Zintle Mpupha crossing the line three minutes from time to level the scores at 5-5. Patience Mokone then struck with just one minute remaining, and Nadine Roos’ successful conversion sealed the victory. The South Africans still needed to repel one final desperate Argentine assault before the final whistle confirmed their triumph.
Earlier, the semi-final against Poland followed a similar pattern. Roos opened the scoring after breaking away from a powerful scrum, but Poland responded through Martyna Wardaszka at a ruck. Maria Tshiremba restored South Africa’s advantage before the break, establishing a 12-5 lead.
The Springboks dominated the second half, with Tshiremba, Ayanda Malinga and Mokone all crossing when space opened on the flanks. Mpupha added the final try following a quick penalty, securing a comprehensive victory.
The tournament success also delivered qualification for the HSBC SVNS 2 series, featuring tournaments in Nairobi (14-15 February), Montevideo (21-22 March) and São Paulo (28-29 March).
Afrika praised his squad’s collective effort and tactical discipline. “It was a great win and the players deserve all the credit – we really defended well, but our attack also proved very effective,” Afrika said.
“Overall, I think we got the balance right at this tournament. When we needed to, we defended our line very well and when the opportunity came, we could switch to attack and scored some really nice tries.”
The coach emphasised the importance of teamwork in their defensive success, highlighting players’ commitment to supporting each other and trusting the system.
Afrika also acknowledged squad members who remained in South Africa but contributed to preparation. “I am happy to say we got our tactics and game analysis right also,” he added.
Roos topped the points-scoring charts with 54 points (four tries, 17 conversions), whilst Tshiremba led try-scorers with seven.
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