Islanders deny Bok Sevens
31 May 2009
Fiji beat South Africa 20-19 in the Cup final of the Edinburgh Sevens.
South Africa, however, were earlier confirmed as the World Series winners when they made the quarter-finals.
It is the first year since the World Series’ inception that New Zealand has not triumphed.
In Sunday’s final, the Islanders went in front first through Emosi Vucago, but the World Series champs hit back immediately through Ryno Benjamin and Mzwandile Stick’s conversion gave the men in green a two point lead.
Fiji still looked the more threatening and scored twice before the end of the half to go into the break with a 15-7 lead.
Skipper Vereniki Goneva extended his side’s lead with an early second-half try and the game quickly looked to be slipping away from the Bok Sevens.
Two quick tries from Gio Aplon and Renfred Dazel reduced the gap to just a single point with two minutes to play, but in the end Fiji were able to hold on for a dramatic win which seas them leapfrog England into second place on the overall World Series standings behind Paul Treu’s men.
In the earlier semi-final Aplon’s extra-time try handed South Africa a dramatic 26-21 win over Scotland to book their place in the final.
The hosts started the better of the two sides and Sean Lamont scored under the posts to give his side a 7-0 lead. South Africa hit back straight away through Vuyo Zangqa after a powerful burst from the robust Frankie Horne.
Stick got his difficult conversion attempt spot on and the scores were level before Dazel scored a wonderful solo effort to give his side a 14-7 lead at the break.
The Scots hit back at the start of the second half to level matters before Greig Laidlaw scored Scotland’s third with just over two minutes left to hold out for a historical win.
But South Africa stuck to their task and Neil Powell’s wonderful cross-field grubber gifted Benjamin a try and Stick nailed his third conversion to take the game to extra time before Aplon broke Scottish hearts in extra time.
For a full list of results click here.
32 Comments
31 May 2009, 10:26 am
bokke champs
31 May 2009, 10:30 am
go win it bokke
31 May 2009, 10:38 am
Come on Keo and co. – Boks have won the 7′s we now know. How about some reports – is julle almal nog gesuip daar innie Kaap?
31 May 2009, 10:57 am
15s world champs…7s world series winners and now Super 14 champs…is the power in the Southern Hemisphere turning our way ?
31 May 2009, 11:00 am
Bokke het laaaaaaaaaaankal reeds gewen!
31 May 2009, 15:09 pm
Bok 7′s looking great. They should beat Scotland. Go Bokke.
Also good still to see them wearing the Bok jersey with the Bok over the heart. Not for long but still nice to see it for now. These boys are so proud of the jersey when they get a try they put their hand straight over their Bok emblem. Good to see.
#4 sharkiedubai: Yip, never even thought of that. Great feeling to have won all of those cups.
31 May 2009, 18:23 pm
That was close. Well done Bok 7′s
Good luck in the final.
31 May 2009, 21:14 pm
Ouch
31 May 2009, 22:00 pm
What is it with the ref’s in 7′s to nail SA so badly? The one Fiji try was in touch first and Aplon scored that try that was judged a knock.
But still, SA rugby rules at the moment.
1 Jun 2009, 00:16 am
How about a heading more to tune of Bok 7s winning the title?? Come on clowns, give some credit for once…
Oh, and FYI Nz have won it 8 times and Fiji the other, so unlike your report that states it is the first time NZ have not won it since its inception!!! You journos really are special…
Nice one bokke …..
1 Jun 2009, 01:44 am
Bula! Bula vinaka, Fiji!
1 Jun 2009, 03:01 am
#11 TheTackler:
Kia Ora Tacklers…….. no sign of your boys hey?
1 Jun 2009, 03:40 am
7 time champs? Or is it 9? That’ll take some beating.
1 Jun 2009, 04:01 am
Irene van Dyk, netballing goalshooter superstar, former SA netball captain and now with almost 100 tests for NZ behind her, has just been given a royal honour (an MBE equivalent) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Mooiskoot!
1 Jun 2009, 06:39 am
TheTackler:
Here is our theory on a Kiwi pushing **** on a SAFFA blog. You want us to insult you so you can pander to your small ***** syndrome acquired at school, sitting next to real New Zealanders in the change room. As A SAFFA I feel obliged to help you with your syndrome and let you know that ***** extension are available.
We think a shrink addressing the underlying issues is probably a better way forward.
You can, in the mean time keep coming to this site for your insult fix.
We think this P?keh? actually resides in Australia because he is not acting like a real Kiwi.
1 Jun 2009, 07:05 am
THE TACKLER
Shame..you try and grab the pladuts when the kiwis do something right but I bet on the streets of Perth in 2007 you claimed that springbok victory as your own..
You probably were shouting yourself hoarse for the Bulls in the Super 14 final…to look cool.
I reckon you are that unique breed of saffer that tries to justify leaving SA by knocking it at every opportunity…but just cannot let go..
Enjoy the springboks dude…the tide is turning our way and soon your little snide remarks will be the same as any other twisted tosspot who has lost his national identity
1 Jun 2009, 07:16 am
Heh! Heh! Yeah, right!
1 Jun 2009, 08:12 am
#17 TheTackler: A4Y’s
1 Jun 2009, 10:22 am
Two very dodgy calls in this game… 1 foot in touch-try for Fiji and 1 Gio Aplon try that was deemed to be a knock-on. Either one of those decisions goig in SA’s favour would have resulted in an SA victory.
well done thos, guys. You have played great rugby all series.
1 Jun 2009, 11:35 am
I never had a doubt they would win this as far back midway through George. A real credit to the Bok jersey. A special mention here goes to Kenya. They will be serious contenders next season me thinks.
1 Jun 2009, 11:40 am
#8 SpringbokSarah:
Hey ^_^
Nice to see you here. I spoke to Gabi yesterday, havent seen anyone else though, apart from you just now. I only joined yesterday though.
1 Jun 2009, 11:46 am
#12 whatever:
No sign of them… until now:
1 Jun 2009, 11:48 am
Damn the vid didnt come out… Here’s the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oulQwIP9VQQ
1 Jun 2009, 14:08 pm
Actually, it was the ref and his assistant that denied us. One try they scored was not a try, and Gio’s disallowed try could easily have been one.
I know this is a tired old refrain, but it certainly looked like the ref had it in for us, in the semi’s as well. The breakdown was ref’d very inconsistently, especially in the semi’s.
1 Jun 2009, 23:13 pm
#12 whatever:
Been there done that Whatever.
By the way well done to the bok 7s even with all the travel,bad reffing,dodgy e-mails and even on half moons they won a championship.Finally the myth of travel has been exposed
1 Jun 2009, 23:15 pm
#25 Hurricane: Chiefs really exposed that myth on Saturday
1 Jun 2009, 23:15 pm
#24 DieBarry:
lol you won the championship but still got time to complain about the refs.Are you guys ever happy??
1 Jun 2009, 23:17 pm
#26 JL1:
Travel didnt lose them game,but if you think they lost cos of travel and not beaten by a better tam then go for it,look silly
1 Jun 2009, 23:18 pm
#28 Hurricane: Part of their self destruction was also down to travel, stop being indenial
1 Jun 2009, 23:21 pm
#29 JL1:
Like how the Chiefs lost by 5 point in pretoria about 4 weeks earlier.Travel is a myth made up by South Africans trying to find excuses and now you are trying to make excuses for a Kiwi team,lol.Stop with all the complaining,Bulls won the game.
4 Jun 2009, 04:25 am
#19 seamus: Very dodgy calls- we should have won that game. Dunno why they dont use the Tv ref?
4 Jun 2009, 05:41 am
#30 Hurricane: Chiefs had been in SA for a long time before that game, playing the Cheetahs at altitude before the Bulls. Travel and jetlag and altitude do affect you- no doubt.
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