PERTH – The Blitzboks on Saturday showed why they are sevens rugby royalty, grinding out a nail-biting 19-12 victory over Argentina in a Perth SVNS pool match that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
What started as a scrappy affair transformed into an absolute belter, with both sides trading blows in a contest that showcased the very best, and most nerve-wracking, elements of sevens rugby.
Yellow card sparks Blitzboks into life
The opening exchanges were loose, neither side able to assert dominance in a cagey start. But with four minutes remaining in the first half, the game burst into life when Argentina’s Pedro de Haro saw yellow, and the Blitzboks wasted no time exploiting their numerical advantage.
Working the ball coast to coast with clinical precision, South Africa moved through phases with purpose before finally sending Christie Grobbelaar crashing over the whitewash. The conversion made it 7-0, and the Blitzboks looked to be in control.
Discipline demons return
But if there is one thing sevens teaches you, it is that no lead is safe. South Africa’s perennial Achilles heel, discipline at the breakdown, reared its ugly head once more. A succession of penalties allowed Los Pumas to march upfield with ease, and they made the Blitzboks pay when speedster Moneta dotted down to level the scores at 7-7.
Game on.
Duarttee magic from deep
Straight from the next restart, the Blitzboks produced a moment of pure sevens magic. Ricardo Duarttee burst through a cluster of would-be tacklers, finding space where none seemed to exist. With defenders scrambling, Zain Davids read the play perfectly, running a textbook support line to collect the offload and run it the final 10m to dot down under the sticks.
A try scored from their own 22 – that is sevens at its finest. The Blitzboks took a 14-7 advantage into the break.
Second-half scare
Early in the second stanza, disaster nearly struck for South Africa. Siviwe Soyizwapi spilled an offload from Oosthuizen on Argentina’s goal line, a gift the South Americans gladly accepted. Two slick passes later, Los Pumas were away, running the length of the pitch to score. Suddenly, it was 14-12, and the Blitzboks were hanging on.
Don delivers the knockout blow
Enter Donavan Don. With just two minutes on the clock and Argentina pressing for the winner, Don recovered possession in his own 22 and decided to take matters into his own hands and feet.
What followed was a masterclass in pace and deception. Selling dummies to every defender brave enough to commit, Don weaved his way through the Argentine defence, using his blistering speed to go coast to coast and score what would prove to be the match-winner. At 19-12, the Blitzboks had breathing room.
Last-gasp drama
But Argentina were not done. With time up on the clock, Los Pumas earned a scrum on the right edge – one last chance to salvage the match. They needed a try to level it up.
Attacking the blindside, Argentina initially found space, but as they approached the corner, the real estate ran out. Under pressure from scrambling Blitzboks defenders, the ball carrier stepped into touch, and with it went Argentina’s hopes.
Final score: South Africa 19, Argentina 12.
It was not always pretty, and the Blitzboks will know they left points on the pitch with ill-discipline at the breakdown. But championship teams find ways to win, and South Africa showed tremendous character to close out a match that could easily have slipped away.
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