Tickets to LA are booked
MATCH REPORT: The Springbok Women Sevens have qualified for the HSBC SVNS Playoff in Los Angeles with two victories in their first two pool games on a very cold day in Krakow, Poland in the final World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament on Friday.
First up, Maria Tshiremba’s second-half brace set up a convincing 29-10 victory over Poland in front of a lively home crowd, before Ayanda Malinga scored a hat-trick in their emphatic 45-0 victory over Czechia.
The South Africans were in control for most of the match against Poland and made the most of errors by their opponents, although they will not be completely happy with the hosts’ second try at the end of the first half. Despite this mini-slump, Renfred Dazel’s team stepped up a gear after the break to add three tries to their two from the first half for a solid win.
The match started with a mistake by Poland from the kick-off, and Malinga didn’t need a second invitation to score the first try of the match after only 17 seconds. Three minutes later, following another Polish mistake, Mathrin Simmers went over and with Nadine Roos again adding the conversion, the South Africans were up 14-0.
Poland had their first real opportunity in the fifth minute and they showed great patience on attack, with Oliwia Krysiak going over in the left corner. After the hooter, South Africa missed a lineout throw and a few tackles before Anna Klichowska went over in the same corner to make it 14-10 at the break.
That was Poland’s last action on the scoreboard though as Tshiremba scored from the restart, punishing yet another mistake by the home team. After the Polish side was shown a yellow card for a cynical foul, the ball was quickly sent wide to the SA speedster for her second try, which increased their lead to 10 points.
They didn’t stop playing when the full-time hooter went and Patience Mokone could celebrate her first try in green and gold on debut for the Bok Women Sevens team.
It was more of the same against Czechia, with Malinga crossing for her first try inside the first minute. Roos and Kemisetso Baloyi also added their names to the score sheet with well-taken tries and with the Bok Women’s playmaker converting all three, South Africa led by 21-0 at the break.
They added four more tries in the second half, with Roos continuing to dominate and deservedly scoring her second try, before Malinga and Shiniqwa Lamprecht heaped more misery on their European opponents.
Malinga had the final say as she scored her hat-trick try at the death of a match in which the South Africans not only attacked with vigour and flair but also defended extremely well to blank the Czechians.
South Africa 29-10 Poland
For South Africa:
Tries: Malinga, Simmers, Tshiremba 2, Mokone
Cons: Nadine Roos 2
For Poland:
Tries: Krysiak, Klichowska
South Africa 45- 0 Czechia
Scorers:
For South Africa:
Tries: Malinga 3, Roos 2, Baloyi, Shiniqwa Lamprecht
Cons: Roos 5
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