Brave Blitzboks reign in Scotland
29 May 2011
Sibusiso Sithole scored a last-minute try to secure South Africa an amazing 36-35 comeback victory over Australia in the Cup final on day two at the Edinburgh Sevens.
It was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sevens rugby. If not, the best.
The wounded Blitzboks entered the Cup title decider without the injured Branco du Preez, Neil Powell and skipper Kyle Brown, who hurt himself during the semi-final against Wales. South Africa’s injury woes worsened when Paul Delport had to be stretchered off shortly before half-time, and Paul Treu had to call on his second last substitute Sithole to fill in.
At that point Australia were running riot as they were 14-7 ahead before Delport’s departure. Two more tries from Jonathan Lance and Henry Vanderglas on either side of half-time put the Aussies 28-7 ahead. Frankie Horne and Bernardo Botha gave the Blitzboks a bit of hope as they both crossed the chalk in quick succession, but Ed Jenkins made it 35-19 with three minutes left on the clock. South Africa looked dead and buried.
Then the unthinkable happened. Steven Hunt added a double to his first five-pointer to complete his hat-trick, which left the Blitzboks within touch of victory but with only 20 seconds remaining. From the kick-off, Chris Dry won the ball in the air and it fell to Sithole. The Sharks flyer burst down the right touchline and broke one tackle on route to the match-winning score.
The win sealed South Africa’s first back-to-back tournament titles in the history of the Sevens World Series and placed them second, behind champions New Zealand, on the overall standings.
Earlier in the day, South Africa overturned an early 12-0 deficit to beat Wales 21-19.
Welsh duo Alex Cuthbert and Kristian Phillips surprised the Blitzboks with a try apiece in the opening five minutes of play. Bernardo Botha eventually opened the scoring for the latter to make it 12-7 at the break.
Skipper Kyle Brown and Steven Hunt scored early in the second stanza before Paul Delport’s converted try sealed the win. There was late pressure as Cuthbert grabbed a brace, but South Africa held on for the win.
In the Cup quarter-finals, the Blitzboks rallied to a 28-5 win over Samoa.
After a scrappy start to the Cup quarter-final, Hunt capitalised on Samoa’s poor defence and broke three tackles on his way to the tryline. Cecil Afrika then dotted down for the final play of the first stanza, securing South Africa a 14-0 half-time lead. The game was sealed with tries from Brown and Sithole after the break.
Blitzboks day two results:
South Africa 28 Samoa 5
South Africa 22 Wales 19
South Africa 36 Australia 35
Click here for all day two results
By Gareth Duncan
68 Comments
29 May 2011, 10:40 am
go the BLITZ
29 May 2011, 11:27 am
Goyougoodthings Bok Power!
29 May 2011, 14:03 pm
Cecil Africa…………………………………talk about the Coolest names in Rugby:
Cecil Africa, SA .
Sonny Bill Williams.NZ.
Austin Healey. Eng.
ChiliBoy. SA.
Jean Condom, Fr.
29 May 2011, 14:14 pm
@cane(cane)-3:
Two more to add to the list:
Dylan des Fountain – Lions
Elvis Vermeulen – France
29 May 2011, 15:54 pm
Don’t forget these 2 :
Kabamba Floors and Fudge Mabeta
29 May 2011, 15:56 pm
Vleis Visagie, Cheese van Tonder…. lol
29 May 2011, 15:57 pm
Dusty Hare
29 May 2011, 16:36 pm
Percy Montgomery….
29 May 2011, 17:29 pm
Ollie le Roux
Os Du Randt
Hempies du Toit
29 May 2011, 18:36 pm
Ama Blits Bokke!!!!!!! Bliksim those Shackledraggers, boys!
29 May 2011, 19:13 pm
Unbelievable win in Edinburgh. Great job Blitzboks!
29 May 2011, 19:26 pm
Winners with BMT
Convicts didn’t see it coming did they … Played with them then killed them.
29 May 2011, 19:29 pm
Kleinjan Tromp
Baksteen Nel
29 May 2011, 19:30 pm
sburaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
29 May 2011, 19:35 pm
Draadkar Delange
29 May 2011, 19:40 pm
Ma Nonu?
29 May 2011, 19:43 pm
Tim visser?
29 May 2011, 19:44 pm
Kulu Fereira must be the one
29 May 2011, 19:45 pm
The commentators were going bananas!
29 May 2011, 19:47 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-19: They sure were and maybe drinking more than Iron Bru
29 May 2011, 19:50 pm
Baksteen Nel, and the old classic Varkhond Grobler
29 May 2011, 19:50 pm
Where are those o r g a s mic shrieks of such delight from the ‘oujongmanne en die nooi nou’?
29 May 2011, 19:55 pm
Kierie Van Straaten who played with Theo ‘Vuilhond ‘ Schonken at Amos Du Plooy’s club, Parks R.C. where the new stadium at N.E. Lake now stands.
29 May 2011, 19:56 pm
Stunning rugby stunning men wall to wall end to end.
29 May 2011, 20:00 pm
Ebbo *******
And if we’re including nicknames:
Flappie Lochner
Koei Brink
Bingo Burger
Mary Jackson
Pinkie Daneel
Bubbles Koch
Carrots Geraghty
Klondyke Raaf
29 May 2011, 20:02 pm
hey boys
Well done Boks
29 May 2011, 20:04 pm
Wazzup soda thought you were planting roses?
29 May 2011, 20:06 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-27:
Too much snow and tornados
29 May 2011, 20:10 pm
Some more:
Tony Woodc ock
Danny Grewc ock
Andrew Hore (the hooker)
@Soda(Soda)-25:
Hey Joe, who the fark is Bingo Burger and Mary Jackson, they probably played for the Lions, lol
29 May 2011, 20:12 pm
@Soda(Soda)-25:
Sorry, i thought its Soda Joe ( #29)
29 May 2011, 20:13 pm
Hey Rob Soda Dawn ET and Skoppie
What a great South Afican rugby weekend
All our Super 15 teams
Our Sevens team
Our English team (Saracens) Sorry I could not resist that
Big Joe leading Baa baas
SA rugby is foking healthy
29 May 2011, 20:13 pm
I really thought these guys butchered it. Well done.
29 May 2011, 20:17 pm
missed this game … pity it shows these boys and this Paul Treu got some ‘treu’ class
two titles in two weeks and to come from behind both times shows these boys got class, and belief, and guts… something they should try portray to some their pseudo supporters who pretend to honor such qualities but surely lack of it in its real human sense.
29 May 2011, 20:20 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-31:
Not bad at all- and the fact that the Reds beat the Crusaders is also in our favour (in terms of overall log),
The Stormers just better find a flyhalf asap before it all comes crashing down.
29 May 2011, 20:21 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-34:
Put Aplon at 10 problem solved
29 May 2011, 20:24 pm
9. DD
10 Aplon
12 JDJ
13 JF
11 Sadie
14 Jdv
15 Jantjies
Fok what pace (except JDV
29 May 2011, 20:25 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-35:
Aplon needs space.
Earl might just star at 10 t- hold on to you safety belt. If he is good he is very good , but…
29 May 2011, 20:27 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-37:
No Rob for gods sake Earl Rose ? We want to win
Just stop and think just a little about aplon at 10
Got the hands
Got the boot
Got the speed
Got the rugby sense
can cover at the back like all good 10′s
29 May 2011, 20:28 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-36:
9. DD
10. Earl
11. Juan
12. JF
13. Brian
14. Sadie
15. Aplon
29 May 2011, 20:32 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-39:
Got my numbers wrong, lol
9. dd
10. Earl
11. brian
12. Juan
13. JF
14 Sadie
15 Aplon
and 8 – Koster.
29 May 2011, 20:32 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-39:
Your sure
JF is a 13
Habana at center? He would not start in my Hammies 3rd
29 May 2011, 20:33 pm
Yep
Koster yes too
29 May 2011, 20:38 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-42:
I would start Vermeulen against the Bulls at 8 but Koster would be perfect to start against the rebels- we must go for all out attack and the 4 tries for the bonus is a must- I have a feeling that 1 point is going to be the difference between a week off plus a home semi or an additional game.
29 May 2011, 20:45 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-43:
Yes we need 5 from each
Bulls look good Worries me
29 May 2011, 20:51 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-44:
Its going to be massive at Newlands in 2 weeks time- I would hate it if we must go to Bloem and chase a 5 pointer to ensure a semi spot.
The Free Staters would love nothing more than to spoil our fun
29 May 2011, 20:54 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-45:
Cheetahs are a very good team hey a bit of luck and a few of those close wins early they would be sitting above Bulls
29 May 2011, 21:01 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-46:
What makes them even more dangerous is that they can play with a freedom knowing that they do not have anything to lose (in terms of semi-final positions)
I am really impressed with Sias Ebersohn aT 10 , even more than with Lambie.
Nice that we have so many good young no 10′s- Ebersohn, Lambie, Jantjes, van Aswegen- its going to be a dogfight for the no 10 jersey after the world cup.
29 May 2011, 21:01 pm
Puma No.9 to answer Sharks SOS
Sun, 29 May 2011 15:54
Doudtful starter: Conrad Hoffmann. (c) Gallo
The elbow injury of scrumhalf Conrad Hoffmann may force the Sharks to call up Pumas No.9 Tian Meyer for their three-match South African road trip.
Hoffmann suffered the injury in his team’s fortuitous Sharks 26-21 Super Rugby win over the Waratahs in Durban at the weekend – the Sharks’ last home game of the league season.
The fifth-placed Sharks face the Cheetahs (in Bloemfontein), the Lions (Johannesburg) and Bulls (Pretoria) as they continue their drive to hope to stay in the play-off spots.
“It doesn’t look good,” Plumtree said, when asked about Hoffmann’s injury.
“He hyper-extended his elbow, it will be a race to get him ready for this weekend.”
Springbok tourist Charl McLeod will most likely start in Bloemfontein, but they may call up Meyer.
“We have agreement with the Pumas [of Mpumalanga], with Tian Meyer, so he might join us,” Plumtree said, adding: “Otherwise we can use Ross Cronje, he’s playing quite good rugby, but we will make those decisions early in the week.”
Plumtree was full of praise for two other Springboks, Pat Lambie and JP Pietersen, who played a key role in securing the win over the Waratahs – a result which saw the Sharks go past the Australian side from seventh to fifth on the table.
“I thought he had his best game for a while,” Plumtree said, when asked about young Bok flyhalf Pat Lambie.
“It was good to see him really attacking that advantage line, he looked like a genuine threat out there.
“He’s been feeling a bit of pressure. He’s not a new boy anymore, so the opposition can work him out – he has to be a threat in different ways. It was good to see him playing pretty well.”
Pietersen was another player who had one of his best games of the season.
“He was awesome, outstanding,” the Sharks mentor said.
“His try was a turning point, it was great. To get a try with a man in the bin doesn’t happen often.
“He’s in good space, he’s running freely, he’s a real threat and good on him.
“We need a player like that to perform like that each week. If others can step up to that standard, it will be awesome.”
29 May 2011, 21:03 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-47:
Yeah I put up a future bok back line
Its very talented and quick
There added guy like taute add aplon
add jdj
other Ebersohn
Sadie
Lambie
29 May 2011, 21:04 pm
Hougaard at 9
What a backline
29 May 2011, 21:10 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-49:
Agree, great backline.
Got to go for now, watching some nice tennis – Monfils (with the French crowd behind him) versus Ferris, great stuff.
I watched Djokovich earlier – he seems to be from another planet and unstoppable at the moment.
See you around.
29 May 2011, 21:12 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-51:
Cheers Enjoy
29 May 2011, 21:26 pm
¿Ferris? joder tio es Ferrer, David Ferrer.
Ferris maybe the irish flanker
29 May 2011, 21:35 pm
Saag Jonker. Ebbo *******. Uncle Dobbin.
29 May 2011, 21:37 pm
Ebbo’s surname was Bustard. But replace the U with an A.
29 May 2011, 21:41 pm
well done blitzbokke!
man that final was exciting.
29 May 2011, 22:00 pm
ja nice.
seem to be getting better at 7s.
29 May 2011, 22:23 pm
Well done Boks!
29 May 2011, 22:38 pm
Awesome game,Well done Blitzboks
29 May 2011, 22:55 pm
Well done the 7′s Boks………..great stuff!
30 May 2011, 07:45 am
Bunch of Quotas!
30 May 2011, 08:55 am
I don’t think the Sharks playing the Cheetahs, lions and Bulls is a road trip.
30 May 2011, 09:05 am
These guys are finally doing what they werent for the last year. Fronting up and tackling and contesting fot the ball. ” amazing finals in a row that showed exceptional guts and character. Man couldnt be more proud of these guys. They hit their straps a bit late in the comp but I think they have earned massive respect on the sevens circuit now. Cant say enough about them. Bring Treu on as a technical adviser to the Boks for the WC now. Fantastic!
30 May 2011, 12:15 pm
This thread has turned into some naming names/tennis thread….*smh*
Blitzbokke well done boytjies,even though yal wont get yal just due….Sibusiso Sithole…beast….Would like to see him CC and Superrugby in next few yrs.
Sharks backline of the future-wish……
9.Hoffman
10.Lambie
11.Mvovo
12.Jordaan
13.De Jongh (hehehe)
14.Sithole
15.JP
PS:Paul Treu is a genius,will be SA version of Gordon Tiejens…
30 May 2011, 13:06 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-64:
Not familiar with the Wildebeest players, who is Jordaan, is that Paul Jordaan?
30 May 2011, 13:09 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-64:
Bru aren’t there any up and coming youngsters from Sean Everitt’s squad?
30 May 2011, 13:17 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-64:
Compare that with this up and coming backline, no am not a WP fan!
09 Duvenaghe
10 van Aswegen
11 Engelbrecht
12 De Jongh/Bosch
13 Sadie/Whitehead
14 Poolman
15 Bax/Brache
30 May 2011, 19:36 pm
@mxhosa
I think this team is better
9.duvenage/groom
10.Van Aswegen
11.engelbrecht
12.whitehead
13.Sadie/Jdj
14.Brache
15.L.Cronje
good team with solid defenders and potent attackers and kickers.
Rumour has it that Paul Bosch is heading to France and Bax is in England with the saracens.He was a CC player at best IMo…
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.