By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Blitzboks produced a stunning performance to beat defending champions Argentina 35-7 in the final of the HSBC Hong Kong Sevens at a raucous Kai Tak Stadium.
The Hong Kong event is the opening leg of the SVNS World Championship, which also includes tournaments in Valladolid and Bordeaux.
Blitzboks showed all their class to win their first-ever Hong Kong title in the first leg of this year’s three-tournament World Championship series, with Valladolid next up on May 29-31 before Bordeaux in early June.
Tristan Leyds once again showed his penchant for performing on the big stage as he raced under the posts for a superb opening try for the Blitzboks.
Santino Zangara replied for Los Pumas Sevens but a second try for the Blitzboks by the effervescent Selvyn Davids put them 14-7 ahead at the break as Argentina’s Hong Kong title began to slip through their fingers.
Thereafter they simply ran amok with Davids completing his brace further tries from Ryan Oosthuizen and Shilton van Wyk saw them home.
Amid emotional celebrations, mercurial captain Impi Visser said: “I’m just so proud of the boys because we achieved something special today.”
“I think we broke the hoodoo at Hong Kong Sevens and can finally call ourselves champions here.”
Looking ahead to next month in Valladolid, Visser added: “I think we’re going to have to make a step up in our attacking play but for now we will enjoy this one.”
Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman said, they will not get ahead of themselves as their dream season is not over yet.
“I’m almost speechless,” Snyman said.
“There is a massive feeling of pride and gratitude at this moment. We waited so long for this, and I am happy we finally did it. I am also very happy for us as a group, not only those here tonight, but also those back home who worked just as hard to make it possible.”
Snyman said they will pause and reflect on what they managed to achieve: “We will just relax and enjoy and celebrate tonight. We know the job is not done, but 50 years was a long time to wait for this.”
Meanwhile the Airlink Pumas and Suzuki Griquas pulled away from the chasing pack in the SA Cup with resounding wins in their sixth-round fixtures over the weekend, while the Toyota Cheetahs moved up the log after a good away win in George.
The outcome of the weekend’s round of league fixtures sees the unbeaten Griquas out in front with 30 league points, followed by defending champions Pumas three points back in second place on 27.
The Cheetahs are sitting third on 23 points, one ahead of fourth-placed SWD (22). Boland are currently just outside the playoffs on 20 points, with the leading quintet followed by the Valke (14), Griffons (11), EP and Leopards (7 apiece) and winless Border (0).
The coming weekend sees the third last round of league games. EP kick off the weekend programme when they host Eastern Cape rivals Border from 17h00 on Friday. That game is followed by another Friday evening fixture in Potchefstroom, between the Leopards and Boland (18h30).
In the three Saturday encounters, all starting at 15h00, SWD meet the Griffons in George, the Valke entertain the Cheetahs in Kempon Park, and there is a top-of-the-table clash in Kimberley between Griquas and the Pumas.
The four top teams after the single round of fixtures qualify for the semi-finals and automatic entry to the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.