BlitzBoks claim historic first-ever Hong Kong title
NEWS: The BlitzBoks broke their Hong Kong drought after defeating Argentina by 35-7 in the World Championships Final in the 50th edition of the tournament.
The BlitzBoks put on a masterclass by outscoring the Los Pumas Sevens by five converted tries to one.
South Africa opened the scoring through Tristan Leyds before Los Pumas’ Santiago Vera Feld responded to level matters.
But from there on it was all the BlitzBoks, with Selvyn Davids bagging a brace and scores by Ryan Oosthuizen and Shilton van Wyk.
It was not only a first Hong Kong win ever, but also a fifth title this season and the BlitzBoks’ fourth in a row, with the previous three coming in the recently completed HSBC SVNS tournaments in Perth, Vancouver, and New York.
It was a true seven-man effort for 14 minutes.
Tristan Leyds played like a wizard, Selvyn Davids was his magical self, Shilton van Wyk and Sebatiaan Jobb ran like never before and in between, the forwards grafted like only Impi Visser, Ryan Oosthuizen, and Zain Davids can.
Leyds scored first after a kick into space, and Selvyn Davids waltzed through for the second. Argentina pulled one back when Santino Zangara scored, but after the break, the excellence continued.
Quewin Nortje, Ronald Brown and Jayden Nell came on in the second half and kept up the competitive excellence, not to mention 10-year tournament veteran and leader, Siviwe Soyizwapi, who scored his first try on debut in 2016 and, a decade later, helped his team to this exceptional moment.
Leyds was named Player of the Final, and he fully deserved it, running 70m for the opener and delivering a perfect kick to send Shilton van Wyk over for his second-half try.
Defending on the wing, he hardly missed a beat, and every Los Pumas player was tackled into the Kai Tak Sports Park pitch.
A mention also to Donavan Don and David Brits, both of whom were ruled out of the final due to injuries, but equally worthy of the long-awaited and seemingly elusive Hong Kong gold medal.
Earlier on Sunday, the BlitzBoks raced into a 26-0 lead in their semifinal against New Zealand, which they eventually won 26-14 after two late tries by the Kiwis when the deal was already done.
They played with precision and pace, but more importantly, serious defence.
The bigger New Zealand attackers made the mistake of looking for bodies to run into, but the BlitzBoks were excellent on the ground and got several turnovers and penalties.
Their first try, six minutes in, was from such a turnover, with Leyds running close to 70 meters after NZ was robbed of the ball near the BlitzBok line.
New Zealand was given a yellow card when Roderick Solo late-tackled Selvyn Davids, and his team paid the price.
Jobb scored just before the halftime break after the BlitzBoks attacked to the left and then the right, and when Davids converted from the touchline, the 14-0 scoreline was just reward.
They punished New Zealand early in the second half as well. Still a man down, the Kiwis were found wanting on the outside, and Van Wyk raced in to score a converted try.
At 21-0, the BlitzBoks were heading to the Final, and a Ryan Oosthuizen try with three minutes left confirmed that, with NZ’s two tries in the final three minutes too little, too late.
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In the Women’s Final, the Black Ferns Sevens clinched the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens World Championship series for their sixth title of the season.
Defending champions New Zealand edged out fierce rivals Australia 19-14 to be crowned Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens champions and once again reaffirm their status as the best side in the world.
An eagerly-awaited clash saw the Black Ferns Sevens secure a fourth straight title in Hong Kong and maintain their recent dominance over Australia on the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens.
It was another close-fought affair, but New Zealand were worthy victors in a game which saw the brilliant duo of Jorja Miller and Maddison Levi both get on the scoresheet again.
After their sixth title of the season, Player of the Final Risi Pouri-Lane said: “To come here and play in a Final at the home of Sevens Rugby – in such an iconic stadium has been an awesome privilege.
“The girls showed grit and heart, and it took a whole squad effort.”
With Valladolid, the next World Championship event on May 29-31, 2025 Player of the Year Miller said: “We love these Finals – they’re the moments we live for.
“We want to keep improving and stay unbeaten in Valladolid next month – and hopefully win another title at the end of it.”
The two most dominant teams with the most storied rivalry in the women’s game both came into the Final on the back of five straight wins over the weekend.
Mahina Paul – on her 25th birthday – broke from deep to open the scoring before Miller claimed centre stage, a role she seems born for, with New Zealand’s second try.
She collected a fine pass from Jaymie Kolose to race under the posts for her 41st try of a remarkable season.
Australia hit back through Isabella Nasser to make it 14-7 at the break, but they lost Teagan Levi to the sinbin for a high challenge on Miller and Kelsey Teneti soon grabbed New Zealand’s third try.
Maddison Levi claimed her seventh Hong Kong try – and the 261st of her career – in the last minute, but Australia fell short.
Cup Finals scorers and results
South Africa 35-7 Argentina
Scorers
For South Africa:
Tries: Leyds, Davids 2, Oosthuizen, Van Wyk
Cons: Leyds 2, Brown 3
For Argentina:
Try: Zangara
Con: Vera Feld.
New Zealand 19-14 Australia
Scorers
For New Zealand:
Tries: Paul, Miller, Teneti
Cons: Pouri-Lane
For Australia:
Tries: Nasser, Levi
Cons: Hinds 2
Yellow card: Teagan Levi (Australia, 8)
*See the rest of the HSBC Hong Kong SVNS results below!
Women
11th place play-off
Argentina 25-10 Argentina
Ninth-place play-off
Brazil 17-12 Great Britain
Seventh-place play-off
Fiji 31-12 Spain
Cup semifinals
Canada 12-31 New Zealand
France 5-26 Australia
Fifth-place play-off
USA 24-19 Japan
Third-place play-off
Canada 7-31 France
Men
11th place play-off
USA 15-19 Germany
Ninth-place play-off
Great Britain 14-26 Uruguay
Seventh-place play-off
France 7-21 Kenya
Cup semifinals
New Zealand 14-26 South Africa
Spain 12-19 Argentina
Fifth-place play-off
Fiji 26-10 Australia
Third-place play-off
New Zealand 28-32 Spain
With reporting by: HSBC SVNS & SA Rugby
