South Africa Wins The 2017 USA Rugby Sevens

South Africa (Blitzboks) won a fourth tournament win of the HSBC7s hosted by the USA Rugby 7s after edging out two-time defending 7s series champions Fiji 19-12.

Fiji scored first through Masivesi Dakuwaqa in a try that was a result of one of the most exciting exchanges in the tournament.

South Africa went ahead 7-5 when Cecil Afrika completed Siviwe Soyizwapi’s run for a try under the post and a conversion.

The second half became more physical as South Africa showed more hunger for the win with Afrika stepping through defenders and offloading back inside to Chris Dry for another try under the post. Afrika added another conversion for the two-score lead in the tenth minute.

Fiji was awarded a penalty but South Africa soon regained possession. Rosko Specman’s unconverted try had the scores at 19-5. Fiji got back in the game as Waisea Nacuqu scored and the vital conversion left the match open.

On the restart, Wener Kok went up for the ‘KiK’ and was slammed to the ground by Sevuloni Mocenacagi who was red carded with a penalty awarded at the stroke of full time against Fiji to secure the win for South Africa.

Featured photo: AFP