The South African Sevens men’s team won the HSBC SVNS Cape Town title for the first time in nine years when they defeated Olympic champions France by 26-14 in a pulsating final at the DHL Stadium on Sunday evening.
It was the perfect ending to a tournament played in perfect conditions and with more than 75,000 people in attendance over two days in the Mother City, where the Blitzboks won all four their games.
The last time South Africa won their home tournament was in December 2015, when they beat Argentina in the final. The hosts were runners up in 2016 (against England) and 2019 (against New Zealand).
With Springbok captain Siya Kolisi in attendance, the South Africans turned back the clock and played their hearts out, scoring four tries to France’s two in the final.
The French scored in the first minute, but the hosts hit back a few minutes later when Donavan Don raced through on a perfect angle from an attacking lineout, to make it 7-7.
From the restart, Impi Visser won the ball back and after a few attacking phases, Zain Davids smashed his way through the French defence, with Ricardo Duarttee’s second conversion giving South Africa a seven point lead.
The French hit back on the stroke of halftime with another converted try and the teams went into the break even on 14-14.
The second half belonged to South Africa though, as Shilton van Wyk scored from a superb Dewald Human grubber before David Brits all but sealed the deal with four minutes to go.
Earlier on Sunday, South Africa had to dig deep, but did what was necessary in their Cup semi-final against Spain, winning 19-12.
France beat Fiji 19-17 courtesy of a converted try in the corner with time up on the clock in the second semi-final.
Fiji finished the weekend with a win and the bronze medal after they beat Spain 47-10 in the third-place playoff, in a repeat of last weekend’s final in Dubai.