The Springbok Sevens team continued their strong and consistent run at the HSBC Canada Sevens this past weekend, finishing a proud third in the 2018 tournament hosted at BC Place in Vancouver. Building on runner-up finishes in both 2016 and 2017, the Blitzboks showcased fierce determination and skill once again.
The podium finish was crucial in maintaining South Africa’s overall lead in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, even as Fiji—the champions in Vancouver—narrowed the points gap against the Blitzboks.
Coming into Vancouver holding a ten-point lead over New Zealand in second place, South Africa now leads Fiji by eight points after the two North American legs of the series. The current standings feature South Africa at 109 points, followed by Fiji with 101, New Zealand at 92, and Australia with 84. Fans can look forward to the remaining tournaments in Hong Kong, Singapore, London, and Paris.
Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell highlighted several positives from the tournament:
“Our standards are always high, and while there were moments we fell short, we also saw some fantastic performances. The comeback win against Australia was particularly uplifting—I honestly thought we were out, but the team kept calm and composed under pressure.”
Missing Ruhan Nel due to injury, the Blitzboks saw Marco Labuschagne step up as a replacement. Powell remarked:
“We had a shot at beating Fiji but didn’t capitalise, which is an area to improve. Matches against top teams demand seizing every opportunity. Against the USA, it was great to give younger players a chance; they stepped up admirably despite some errors, proving their potential.”
The bronze final saw the Blitzboks dominate the USA 29-7. After an early try by Malon Aljiboori for the Americans, South Africa took charge with tries from Zain Davids, Stedman Gans, and Siviwe Soyizwapi to lead 19-7 at halftime. Ryan Oosthuizen’s two tries sealed the convincing victory.
The semi-final clash with Fiji was a nail-biter, decided in the final play when South Africa lost possession just as they aimed to score the winning try. Despite an opening try by Philip Snyman and a strong break lead by Dylan Sage’s fourth try of the tournament, Fiji edged ahead late to win 15-12.
One of the tournament’s highlights was the quarterfinal against Australia, where Dylan Sage’s last-moment try clinched a thrilling 24-19 win. Overcoming a 19-0 halftime deficit, the Blitzboks stormed back with tries from Siviwe Soyizwapi (two) and Cecil Afrika, powered by Sage’s exceptional play to secure a spot in the top four for the sixth consecutive tournament.
Sage also led the tournament in tackles (18), supported by strong performances from Branco du Preez (17) and Cecil Afrika (16), contributing to South Africa’s impressive tally of 136 tackles at the event.
The Blitzboks dominate the series lead in tackles (744) and try scoring with 148 tries, ahead of Australia (139) and Fiji (137).
Notable Stats:
- Branco du Preez made 13 conversions and scored a total of 26 points in Vancouver, extending his national career conversion record to 371 — ranking tenth on the worldwide all-time list.
- Cecil Afrika set a new national record for points scored in the World Series with 1395 points, placing him fourth on the global all-time list.
Top Six Teams in the World Series Standings:
1. South Africa 109
2. Fiji 101
3. New Zealand 92
4. Australia 84
5. Argentina 77
6. USA 73
