The Blitzboks delivered a ruthless masterclass in Vancouver, dismantling Spain 38-12 in Monday morning’s final to secure their second consecutive World Rugby Sevens Series tournament victory.
Philip Snyman’s charges were simply unstoppable at BC Place, combining watertight defence with clinical finishing to blow away the Spanish challenge and surge to within touching distance of series leaders Fiji.
The comprehensive victory confirmed what the tournament had already shown , this Blitzbok side is peaking at precisely the right moment. Their defensive wall conceded a miserly eight tries across five matches, whilst their lethal attack plundered 18 five-pointers to establish South Africa as genuine title contenders heading into the New York finale.
Final demolition
Spain barely knew what hit them. The Blitzboks exploded out of the blocks, racing to a commanding 17-0 half-time advantage that effectively killed the contest before the break.
Ryan Oosthuizen opened the floodgates with a trademark length-of-the-field effort following a quick tap penalty, mirroring his Perth final heroics from last month. It set the tone for what would become a one-sided affair.
Spain’s elaborate attempts to unlock the Blitzbok defensive line proved catastrophic. Twice their ambitious passing sequences ended in turnovers, and twice South Africa capitalised ruthlessly. Sebastiaan Jobb ran onto a pinpoint Tristan Leyds pass before Shilton van Wyk latched onto a perfectly weighted Leyds grubber after the Blitzboks pilfered a Spanish lineout.
Ronald Brown’s conversion made it 17-0 at the interval, and Spain’s mountain had become Everest.
The second stanza delivered more of the same. Van Wyk grabbed his brace shortly after the restart when Spain conceded possession in their own half once again. Jeremy Trevithick briefly threatened a Spanish fightback, exploiting tiring South African legs to breach the line.
But the respite proved fleeting. Gino Cupido restored order immediately from the restart, running onto a Jobb pass to score, with the conversion essentially confirming the silverware’s destination.
Spain managed a second consolation effort through Anton Legorburu Anso before captain Impi Visser delivered the final blow. The skipper intercepted yet another wayward Spanish pass and sprinted 50 metres to cap a solid performance.
Dewald Human added two conversions to round off the scoring, with Brown’s earlier conversion completing South Africa’s 38-12 triumph.
See all the full match report on KickOff Rugby
Aussie Ambush
The final was set up by a gutsy 19-12 semi-final victory over Australia, where the Blitzboks demonstrated their championship mettle by overturning a half-time deficit.
Ronald Brown opened the scoring with a sublime switch move alongside Oosthuizen that left Australian defenders grasping at shadows. Brown then produced a try-saving tackle at the other end, though the Wallabies still managed two quick-fire scores to lead 12-7 at the break, dominating the breakdown to control possession.
The second half belonged entirely to South Africa. The bench delivered crucial impact, wrestling back possession and territory. David Brits dotted down in the corner following a determined touchline surge, with Leyds producing a magnificent conversion to edge the Blitzboks ahead 14-12.
Visser then delivered the killer blow with a turnover in his own half. The ball was recycled brilliantly, allowing Selvyn Davids to finish on the opposite flank for a 19-12 advantage.
Australia’s final attack in the red zone ended with a handling error, confirming South Africa’s consecutive victory over the same opposition they conquered in Perth.
Title race goes to the wire
The Vancouver triumph catapults the Blitzboks into a winner-takes-all showdown with Fiji in New York next weekend. Both nations sit locked on 86 series points with one tournament remaining.
Fiji marginally lead the overall standings on points differential – their +201 bettering South Africa’s +199 by the finest of margins. Spain’s 24-17 semi-final victory over the Fijians opened the door for the Blitzboks to pounce, and they seized the opportunity with both hands.
Only these two powerhouses can claim the overall series title in the United States, setting up a mouthwatering finale to the season.
