Boks party in Paris
28 May 2006
The Springboks smashed Samoa 33-12 in the Paris Sevens final on Sunday to claim their first title of the season and secure the bronze medal in the IRB Sevens Series.
The Boks opened the scoring in the first minute when Western Province’s Gio Aplon darted his way through the Samoan defence and sent Stormers wing Ryno Benjamin away for the try. However, the Islanders responded with a try soon afterwards from Simaika Mikaele to make it 7-all.
Benjamin then ran in his second try after good work from Aplon and Danwell Demas to give the Boks at 14-7 lead at half-time.
The South Africans moved further ahead a minute after the break when Benjamin forced a crucial turnover inside the Samoan 22 that resulted in a deserved try for Aplon.
With the clock ticking down, the Boks starved the Samoans of possession and sealed the win when Demas cut back inside and scored their fourth try.
Mikaele Senio scored a consolation try for the Samoans with a minute to go, before WP scrumhalf Paul Delport ran the length of the field to cap off a memorable win.
Earlier in the day, the Boks crushed hosts France 33-12 in the semi-finals. They swept aside New Zealand in the quarter-finals, but even that result stood a poor second in Paris as home team France stunned Fiji.
Series leader Fiji, rampant on day one, were the shock losers by a point to the French. The French won 22-21 in a result that ranks among their greatest in the shortened version of the game.
The Sevens Boks, beaten by Samoa in the pool stages, won 26-19 against a New Zealand team that had been undefeated on day one.
In a day of more surprises Australia smashed England 29-17 and Samoa proved too strong for the Pumas.
No Fiji, no England and no New Zealand in the last four is something few would have predicted because it has never happened in the history of the IRB Sevens series.
It will now come down to next weekend’s final event in London to determine which of Fiji or England claim a first series title. New Zealand, previously, had won six titles in succession.
28 Comments
28 May 2006, 13:30 pm
Gio Aplon played unbelievable… Go bokke
28 May 2006, 13:52 pm
so when is the semis?
28 May 2006, 14:12 pm
Anyone know who has qualified for the semis, and what time are these being played?
28 May 2006, 14:18 pm
Got ‘em on Planet Rugby
Semi-Final Cup -16:20 – France v South Africa Semi-Final Cup – 16:42 – Samoa v Australia
Obviously GMT, which means 2 hours on in SA ie. 18.20
28 May 2006, 15:49 pm
Go you good things go!!!
Here’s hoping Paul and co can indeed go all the way.It is really satisfying seeing the “poorer” cousins in our rugby structure going so well and is a huge credit to all involved in sevens here!!
28 May 2006, 16:43 pm
Got the GMT aspect wrong – the game has just been played. Planet Rugby gives SA times?
SA boys beat France 33 – 12 and are into the Paris 7s final!
28 May 2006, 17:08 pm
SA vs Samoa Final going to ba a cracker
28 May 2006, 17:12 pm
18:30 SA Time on Supersport 6 & CSN
28 May 2006, 17:28 pm
It occurs that Seven’s is left alone by media and management meddlers alike.They are a top team with limited backing and resources and ever there was a poster team for transformation this must be it,they even have a few “quota” pale lads.
28 May 2006, 18:23 pm
Gio Aphlon had a blinder in this game i still cant believe he didnt get more cc game time at province,
28 May 2006, 19:14 pm
Congratulations South Africa!!!
28 May 2006, 19:18 pm
Keo, quick with the report. Well done to the sevens bokke!
28 May 2006, 19:45 pm
Gio Aplon may not be the biggest guy around, but his ability to create, to draw in defenders and to offload and put his support players in to space is exeptional. Nice going Bokke.
28 May 2006, 19:48 pm
What an awesome result it’s well deserved and well played.This team has huge talent and I can’t wait for next years event in George to see the buggers in the flesh.I was really impressed with Jaco Pretorious in defence,Johnathan Mokuena in the “tighter” phases and setpieces and was Gio Aplon not magic to watch on attack.
That said this was a super team effort and I for one am a proud rugby fan tonight!!!!
28 May 2006, 19:59 pm
Go Bokke !!!!!!!!!!
28 May 2006, 20:11 pm
Gio Aplon is a great player , amazing vision and pace – he`s going to have a great season with WP in the cc. WP will have a pretty good backline this year with the likes of Aplon,Benjamin,Potgieter,Delport(all in the sevens team), Grant, Pietersen, de Kock, Nokwe!!
28 May 2006, 20:52 pm
Blou Bok
Benjamin and Nokwe will play for Boland and not WP
29 May 2006, 02:45 am
Congratulation South Africa.
Extra well done to have beaten Samoa.
29 May 2006, 02:46 am
Congratulations South Africa.
Extra well done to have beaten Samoa – a tough team.
29 May 2006, 08:40 am
Good good good
29 May 2006, 09:13 am
Blou_Bok
Actually some of the okes u mentioned are from boland and i fear aplon wont play because Kobus is an idiot and would prefer using his regulars particularly if greef is back for the cc.
29 May 2006, 09:17 am
Man, what a good 2 games, the semis and the final. SA were down at halftime against the French and came back nicely. It was so tense at times, but the boys came through nicely. Well done to Paul, Denzil, the players and all others involved with Springbok 7′s.
29 May 2006, 09:26 am
How nice to watch some rugby on a Sunday afternoon/evening. Really proud of the boks!
Well done!
29 May 2006, 09:26 am
Apparently Delport was brilliant. I hope he gets game time at WP this yr! NDK needs to go play somewhere else…
29 May 2006, 09:45 am
How come we only win teh big games when they are against the low ranked teams? If we ever play england/fiji in the semi’s or finals, we always lose… no BMT?
29 May 2006, 10:44 am
Wicked – Paul Treu finally got some good players to work with – that’s why we won. On day 1, the Boks lost to Samoa 21-29, so I think they showed some great BMT when it mattered most – the final. They also looked really good in beating the Kiwis in the 1/4 final. Also, don’t forget that Samoa beat Australia convincingly in the semis after Aus had handed England their arses to them in their 1/4 final. This was a very good Samoa side that our boys beat – and beat convincingly – as was the French side they met in the semis. With limited resources, Paul Treu has still managed to keep his side in the top 3 this year. They still have an outside chance of winnig the whole thing this year.
Well done Boks – you did us proud!!! Now just give a good account of yourself in the next 2!!
29 May 2006, 15:34 pm
Can anyone explain why Gio Aplon doesn’t get picked for the Stormers, and instead we go and buy the likes of Chumani Booi from the Cats?
29 May 2006, 20:12 pm
Nokwe and Benjamin Boland??? Thats just n darn shame !! :amazed:
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