South Africa’s Blitzboks secured their title at the Cape Town Sevens with a thrilling comeback victory, while Australia’s Wallaroos achieved a stunning upset against New Zealand in the women’s final. This victory marks the first time in a decade that a men’s team has successfully defended their title at this prestigious event.
In the men’s final, South Africa faced a challenging match against Argentina. Trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Blitzboks rallied in the final moments, with Shilton van Wyk making a pivotal play to set up a try for Christie Grobbelaar. This crucial score tied the match at 19 points, before Ricardo Duarttee’s conversion gave South Africa a narrow lead of 21-19 with less than 30 seconds remaining. The Blitzboks held on for victory, showcasing their resilience and determination.
Argentina initially took control of the match, with Luciano Gonzalez scoring his tournament-leading eighth try and Marcos Moneta adding two tries for the South American side. South Africa’s Donavan Don responded with a try following an intercept, but Moneta’s second try, just after halftime, extended Argentina’s lead to 19-7. South Africa’s debutant Sonwabo Sokoyi ignited hope for the home team with a converted try, ultimately paving the way for their dramatic win.
In the women’s final, the Wallaroos displayed exceptional skill and strategy, defeating New Zealand 26-12. This triumph ended a streak of four consecutive losses to the Black Ferns in World Series finals. Australia dominated the first half, with Heidi Dennis opening the scoring after a ruck penalty. Teagan Levi quickly followed with another try, and Bella Nasser extended the lead to 19-0 just before halftime after a quick tap penalty.
Following the break, the Wallaroos continued their strong performance, with Maddison Levi scoring another converted try, bringing the score to 26-0. Although New Zealand managed to score through Kelsey Teneti and Stacey Waaka, Australia’s defense proved formidable, restricting the Black Ferns and securing their first victory over them in a final.
As the sevens world series continues, the next leg will take place in Singapore from January 31 to February 1, 2024. Both South Africa and Australia will aim to build on their recent successes as they face new challenges in upcoming matches.
