The Springbok Women’s Sevens team were crowned champions of the first World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series tournament in a cold and wet Stellenbosch on Saturday when they beat Belgium by 17-10 in a pulsating final.
It means the South Africans finished the tournament unbeaten after they booked their place in the final with a 5-0 win over China earlier on Saturday at the Markotter Stadium.
In the final, early mistakes were costly for the host nation as the Belgians raced to a 10-0 lead after tries from Nele Pien and Emilie Musch in the first four minutes.
Ayanda Malinga pulled one back for South Africa with a try shortly before the break to make it 10-5.
The second half belonged to the Bok Women though as they grew in confidence, despite losing a player to a yellow card. They defended well, played most of the half in Belgium’s territory and pounced on mistakes by their opponents.
Nadine Roos put them ahead with a converted try from a sniping run off the back of an attacking scrum in the 12th minute, and two minutes later Marlize de Bruin’s five-pointer, from a turnover, all but sealed the win.
Scorers:
South Africa 17 (5) – Tries: Ayanda Malinga, Nadine Roos, Marlize de Bruin. Conversion: Libbie Janse van Rensburg.
Belgium 10 (10) – Tries: Nele Pien, Emilie Musch.
In their semi-final early on Saturday, the South Africans edged China by 5-0, while the Belgium side outplayed Poland in the other semi-final.
A solitary try by Simamkele Namba two minutes from time proved the difference between the sides. Namba conceded a yellow card for a high tackle in the next play, but credit to her team mates who defended stoutly and kept the Chinese out for the last 90 seconds of the game.
The first half was dominated by strong defence from both sides. China had the bulk of the possession but just could not find a way through to score, while the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad squandered an attacking lineout opportunity near their opponents’ try-line.
The second half delivered more of the same, but with the host union getting more hands on the ball, they started asking more questions from their opponents.
Namba thought she scored after hacking ahead a spilled China pass, but knocked the ball on in the act of diving over the line. A minute later, she made no mistake though as she crashed through two defenders to dot down.
China used their numerical advantage and created an overlap, but a great cover tackle by Libbie Janse van Rensburg stopped them in their tracks. China had one last throw of the dice with a lineout, but Rights Mkhari spoiled that by winning the ball in the air.
Scorers:
South Africa 5 (0) – Try: Simamkele Namba.
China 0 (0)
Also read:
Picture and words: SA Rugby
