BlitzBoks claim top prize in Perth
WRAP: South Africa have been crowned the Perth Sevens Champions after securing a win over Fiji in a tense final clash.
The Blitzboks secured their second title of the Sevens Series season with a nerve-shredding victory over arch-rivals Fiji.
South Africa backed up their Cape Town triumph from December by edging the islanders 21-19, avenging last week’s disappointment in Singapore and overcoming a pool-stage defeat to Fiji earlier in the tournament.
The Blitzboks made a flying start by punishing an early Fijian error, with Tristan Leyds pouncing on a loose ball and sprinting down the left before releasing Ryan Oosthuizen for a converted try and a 7-0 lead. Moments later, another turnover proved costly for Fiji as Sebastiaan Jobb showed blistering pace to score under the posts and extend the advantage to 14-0.
Fiji hit back through Viwa Naduvalo after a prolonged spell of pressure and closed the gap just before the interval when Jeremaia Matana crossed after the hooter, Terio Veilawa’s conversion trimming the deficit to 14-12.
Oosthuizen then lit up the final with a moment of individual brilliance, beating four defenders to score as the contest swung on a knife-edge. Dewald Human kept his nerve to land a difficult conversion, nudging South Africa back in front at 21-19 with four minutes to play.
From there, the Blitzboks’ defence rose to the occasion. Disciplined tackling and unrelenting pressure repelled Fiji’s late charge, sealing South Africa’s first Sevens tournament win on Australian soil since 2017.
*See all the Day Two results below!
Seven-place play-off
Great Britain 5-41 Fiji
Great Britain 17-24 France
Fifth-place semifinal
Span 28-19 Great Britain
France 12-47 Argentina
Semifinal
Fiji 35-0 New Zealand
Australia 12-28 South Africa
Third-place play-off
New Zealand 10-12 Australia
Final
Fiji 19-21 South Africa
