Hong Kong SVNS: BlitzBok Women get a famous win
DAY TWO WOMEN’S UPDATES: The Springbok Women’s Sevens team failed to do the double over Great Britain on Saturday.
The South Africans finished their Pool B fixtures on a strong note in Hong Kong beating Great Britain, one of the core teams in the HSBC SVNS Series, by 19-5 at Kai Tak Sports Park, which saw them finish third in their pool, but they missed out on a potential quarterfinal berth to Spain, who had a better points difference over the two days.
The South Africans then faced Great Britain again in the ninth-place semifinal later on Saturday, but this time the Bok Women lost by 14-19.
The big difference in this result was an early first-half red card against Lerato Makua, resulting in the South Africans playing with six players for 10 minutes.
At that stage, Great Britain had a 7-0 lead, but credit to Cecil Afrika’s troops who refused to lie down. They crept back into the game with two well-worked tries by Shanidiné Bezuidenhout and Maria Tshiremba.
Trailing 14-19, Ayanda Malinga was held up over the line in what could have been the match-winner, only to be denied and Great Britain could escape a second defeat against South Africa.
Earlier in the day, a Tshiremba double paved the way for a famous win. Great Britain scored first for a 5-0 lead, but the Bok Women started to hit their straps.
Tshiremba scorched away from 60m out for her first, before lovely interplay with Eloise Webb resulted in her second. Makua then galloped clear to seal the match.
With Makua suspended and Asisipho Plaatjies ruled out due to injury, it will be a depleted squad to take on Argentina at 04h46 (SA time) on Sunday for 11th place, but they will understand every log point will be crucial heading into the final two World Championship tournaments, in Spain and France.
*The Cup Semifinals will see Canada against New Zealand, while France will be facing Australia.
Saturday’s scores and scorers:
Pool match: South Africa 19-5 Great Britain
For South Africa:
Tries: Maria Tshiremba 2, Lerato Makua
Cons: Byrhandré Dolf 2
For GB
Try: Katie Shillaker
Ninth-place semifinal: South Africa 14-19 Great Britain
For South Africa:
Tries: Shanidiné Bezuidenhout, Maria Tshiremba
Cons: Byrhandré Dolf 2
For GB:
Tries: Ellen Scantlebury, Reneeqa Bonner 2
Cons: Abbie Brown 2
Day Two Women’s Results and Fixtures:
Argentina 12-17 Spain
USA 14-19 France
Great Britain 5-19 South Africa
Australia 19-17 Canada
Japan 34-7 Brazil
New Zealand 38-0 Fiji
Ninth-placed semifinals:
Argentina 17-19 Brazil
South Africa 14-19 Great Britain
Cup Quarterfinals:
Canada 19-7 USA
New Zealand 32-5 Spain
France 22-12 Japan
Australia 45-5 Fiji
Day Three fixtures:
Eleventh-place play-off:
Argentina v South Africa (04.46 SAST)
Ninth-place play-off:
Brazil v Great Britain
Seventh-place play-off:
Fiji v Spain
Cup semifinals:
Canada v New Zealand
France v Australia
Fifth-place play-off:
USA v Japan
