By Lucky Vince Pienaar
A full-strength Blitzboks team kept the dream alive in Perth this weekend — and if it wasn’t for a yellow card against Fiji — they may have made it into the top four and (we can dream can’t we?) they could even have won.
Jesse Duarttee, back after a mysterious absence, had a definite impact on the spirit and goal-directness of the team.
Selvyn Davids was at his best, showing off that incredible side-step off the right foot to confuse many opponents.
Debutant Tristan Leyds, Western Province back-three player and brother of Dyllin Leyds, playing with flair and showing an instinctive understanding of the game, scored in his first match.
In the pool matches, they beat Canada and Spain convincingly. They lost to Argentina who are simply the best sevens team in the world at the moment. Los Pumas went on to beat Australia in the finals by five tries to one.
In the finals stages the Blitzboks were leading Fiji when they were punished by a very debatable yellow card. Playing with six players, the Blitzboks could not stop Fiji from scoring the winning try.
Who knows how the result could have been different if the ref hadn’t decided the destiny of the Blitzboks for the tournament?
In the fifth-place play-off, South Africa dominated France with a four tries to one victory.
The teams for that fateful play-off in Monte Carlo in June have been finalised. Nothing the Blitzboks can do can change that between now and the end of the HSBC Sevens competition for the year, but a positive performance like this in Perth will give the Blitzboks, and South Africa, a much-needed emotional boost.
Blitzboks (4 tries) 24-7 (1 try) Canada
Tries: Selvyn Davids (2), Quewin Nortje, Tristan Leyds
Blitzboks (3 tries) 21-14 (1 try) Espana
Tries: Ronald Brown, Quewin Nortje, Selvyn Davids
Blitzboks (1 try) 5-19 (3 tries) Argentina
Try: Quewin Nortje
Blitzboks (2 tries) 12-14 (2 tries) Fiji
Tries: Ryan Oosthuizen Tristan Leyds
Blitzboks (4 tries) 12-14 (1 try) France
Tries: Shilton Van Wyk, Tristan Leyds, Selvyn Davids, Donovan Don (10′)
Pictured above: Blitzboks.
Image source: X
