Lucky Maree
Having lost two matches out of three, the Blitzboks have still made it into the semi-finals, but now they face their biggest test yet.
Beating Fiji is a tough ask for any team and they will have to bring their Super ‘A’ match.
In the first half the Blitzboks do well to prevent Fiji from playing their usual free-flowing game, but with only 30 seconds to go before the break, the Fijians do what they do so well. Joseva Talacolo dribbles the loose ball forward and scores, giving them a five point lead.
With enough time for the restart, Fiji retain possession for a remarkable minute into the red zone and score a second try.
The Blitzboks start the second half fighting a 12 point deficit, which, against Fiji is one helluva mountain to climb.
After four minutes, captain Soyizwape gets South Africa onto the board with a powerful run.
In the last three minutes the Blitzboks come close to scoring twice. With ten seconds to go they concede a penalty that they protest so strongly the ref penalises them with ten metres.
Again the Blitzboks are in it until the last minute but fail to convert. It’s a tough game and a bitter pill to swallow but at last the Blitzboks show the fighting spirit that has been lacking in the tournament thus far.
It’s difficult to accept that South Africa, officially ranked second in the standings,
are in a building phase, but they are. Given that reality, they haven’t done badly. They’ve got the skills, they need the spirit. Coaches Sandile Ngcobo and Philip Snyman will need to work on that.
Fiji:
Tries: Joseva Talacolo, Jeremaia Matana
Conversions: One
South Africa:
Tries: Siviwe Soyizwape
Conversions: One
Fiji 12-7 South Africa
Pictured above: Blitzboks playmaker Ronald Brown
Source: Gallo images
