Injury-ravaged BlitzBok Women show grit to end with a win
DAY TWO WRAP: There was a bit of cheer for the BlitzBok Women in Sao Paulo before they head home.
A severely depleted Springbok Women’s Sevens team finished the final HSBC SVNS 2 tournament at Estadio Nicolau Alayon on a high note on Sunday.
They were without five injured players and faced Argentina and China with only eight players available, with all of Nadine Roos, Simamkele Namba, Liske Lategan, Shannon-Leigh Windvogel and Patience Mokone ruled out due to injury.
The South Africans suffered a 5-19 defeat to Argentina, but bounced back in the second half against China to claim a 14-10 win and finish the tournament in fifth place.
Much was expected of the match-up between South Africa and Argentina as they came into the tournament occupying the top two positions on the log, but the depleted Bok Women side just did not have enough gamebreakers left to pull off a win.
As a result of all the injuries, the starting team played together for the first time and lacked cohesion on attack. They defended well and for long spells as Argentina kept the ball alive, but any team can only defend for so long and three minutes in, Argentina broke through for the first points of the match.
From the restart, a good attack by South Africa resulted in Ayanda Malinga scoring near the posts, but the conversion went wide.
Argentina scored soon after some limp-wristed defence by South Africa to take a 14-5 lead at the break. They scored the only try of the second half also after a quick tap penalty caught the Bok Women napping on defence.
The best seven minutes of the day for the South Africans came in the second half of their match against China. The Chinese scored two good first-half tries against a tiring SA defence and held a 10-0 lead at the break.
The second half belonged to the team in green and gold. Showing tremendous heart, they scored when Asisipho Plaatjies stepped past her opponent and with the conversion successful, it suddenly became a one-score result.
That score came from Shanidiné Bezuidenhout playing at scrumhalf. The former netball star worked her way through the smallest of gaps to score under the poles for a converted try, not only a match-winning one, but a first for her country as well.
Day One’s scores and scorers!
South Africa 5-19 Argentina
The scorers:
For SA:
Try: Ayanda Malinga
For Argentina:
Tries: Azul Medina, María Paula Pedrozo, Francesca Iacaruso
Cons: Sofia Gonzalez
South Africa 14-10 China
The scorers:
For SA:
Tries: Asisipho Plaatjies, Shanidiné Bezuidenhout
Cons: Byrhandrè Dolf 2
For China:
Tries: Chen Ziying, Hua Beibei
Other SVNS 2 fixtures and results:
Women:
China 0-46 Kenya
Spain 7-38 Brazil
Argentina 7-22 Spain
Brazil 24-12 Kenya
Men:
Uruguay 24-19 Belgium
Germany 21-26 Canada
USA 14-31 Kenya
Canada 29-33 Belgium
Kenya 26-14 Uruguay
USA 28-5 Germany
