Blitzboks fall at last hurdle
10 Dec 2011
GARETH DUNCAN, reporting from the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, watched the Blitzboks concede a last-minute try in a 31-26 Cup final defeat to New Zealand on day two of the PE Sevens.
The inaugural PE Sevens finished in 20 minutes of madness.
Ahead and during this fixture, the crowd created a magical atmosphere – something that was missing throughout the weekend’s festivities. The St Georges band arrived late during the day and their presence ignited an electric mood around the park, especially with the large All Blacks club who sat themselves in the seats below them. It was a fitting stage for the Blitzboks and New Zealand, who were clearly the two best teams at the tournament.
For New Zealand, it was their eighth consecutive Cup final appearance while it was only the hosts’ third in their history, having previously won one and lost one – both to the former. And on this occasion, the Kiwis went on to win their ninth South African leg Cup title thanks to Tomasi Cama, who scored and converted a try in the last move of the game.
It was a close contest in the first half, which ended 17-14 at the break in the Kiwis’ favour. DJ Forbes led from the front and powered over for the opening try, which was cancelled out by Bernado Botha’s finish. The hosts were then dealt a blow when Boom Prinsloo was yellow-carded for a professional foul at the breakdown.
From a defending scrum, the Blitzboks crumbled and Cama capitalized to dive over for his first five-pointer. Once South Africa returned to seven men, Botha went on to score his fourth try of the tournament – but New Zealand held a slender half-time lead after Frank Halai crossed the chalk.
The Blitzboks dominated the early parts of the second half, surging into a 26-17 lead with Steven Hunt and Cecil Afrika running over from close range. But defensive lapses at the death saw Halai and Cama complete their braces, the latter score a controversial one as a few South African players believed they were tripped during the final play. But Australian referee Anthony Moyes waved play on as Cama broke South African hearts.
The day’s results sees Fiji and New Zealand share the World Series table lead with 51 log points each. The Fijians performed badly on day two, which ended with a 48-0 thrashing from Wales in the Plate final. The Blitzboks find themselves third on the table with 48 log points while England (47) and France (38) trail closely behind.
Earlier in the day, the Springbok Sevens downed Samoa 12-7 in the Cup semi-final.
It was a physical clash and one the hosts handled well as they kept the game tight and capitalised on favourable field position. They spent most of the first half in Samoa’s 22m area, and they finished two scoring opportunities to take a 12-0 half-time lead. A Branco du Preez side step and break opened the scoring while Botha showed great power out wide to finish in the corner. Samoa ended the half with six men when Afa Aiono was sin-binned for striking Kyle Brown with the forearm.
After the second stanza restart, South Africa placed a greater emphasis on restricting the Pacific Islanders – which they did to great effect. Samoa struggled to break into the hosts’ red zone but managed to score a late try through Paul Perez. The Blitzboks, however, still did enough for a place in the Cup final
In their first match of the day, Cecil Afrika scored two crucial tries in the Springbok Sevens’ 26-12 win over France in the Cup quarter-final.
Coming off a 19-5 Cup defeat to the French in the same fixture at the Dubai Sevens last weekend, the Blitzboks ended on top on this occasion thanks to their hometown playmaker. But it didn’t come easy, as an attacking error saw Terry Bouhraoua put the opposition 5-0 ahead.
An Afrika run set up Boom Prinsloo minutes later while the former also dotted down after sniping a gap. But Renaud Delmas finished off a late attack, which capitalised on the hosts’ shaky rearguard. The half-time score read 12-12.
The Blitzboks produced a strong second half showing to seal their place in the top four. Brilliant stepping from Afrika saw the speedster grab his 70th World Series try while Botha finished off proceedings after chasing down a Du Preez chip.
Blitzboks’ fixtures, day two:
Cup quarter-final: South Africa 26 France 12
Cup semi-final: South Africa 12 Samoa 0
Cup final: South Africa 26 New Zealand 31
Click here for all day two fixtures and results
1,234 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 8 9 10 11 … 25 » Show All
10 Dec 2011, 20:01 pm
Eish… Squeeekybum time
10 Dec 2011, 20:02 pm
Yuck
10 Dec 2011, 20:03 pm
een minute
10 Dec 2011, 20:04 pm
@HG….Dawn has always always been a 100 percent bok supporter.
10 Dec 2011, 20:04 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
10 Dec 2011, 20:04 pm
Oh feck.
10 Dec 2011, 20:05 pm
FCKFCKFCK… Ref missed the push…
10 Dec 2011, 20:05 pm
F*ck the traitors. With this win their legion grows.
10 Dec 2011, 20:05 pm
@Treehugger-254: I know… we’re just having a little tiff…
10 Dec 2011, 20:06 pm
Okay… am out.
10 Dec 2011, 20:06 pm
Elephantsaders going through the roof, fark tog, donner.
10 Dec 2011, 20:06 pm
Hugs, HG is too easy!
Did you enjoy paranormal activity?
10 Dec 2011, 20:08 pm
In the 15 man and 7 man games, the Boks really have to start beating NZ at home more regularly, to send the scum home unhappy. Only way to shut these clowns up.
10 Dec 2011, 20:09 pm
feck ! ! ! ! i am disapointed, think our team is a good one.
10 Dec 2011, 20:12 pm
@wooden spoon-263: I agree 100%. Nothing nicer than a sad South African All Black supporter (vomit)
10 Dec 2011, 20:16 pm
Oh well, congratulations to the kiwi team, they played well, and cannot help that these local morons who have never travelled further than the outskirts of PE support them.
10 Dec 2011, 20:18 pm
Nyasty!
10 Dec 2011, 20:22 pm
Kiwi’s PE hoodoo now a thing of the past.
Feck.
10 Dec 2011, 20:23 pm
What a bummer.
10 Dec 2011, 20:24 pm
Dawn, thougt it was boreing, so channel hopped between Pelam 123 which i know is good hving seen it b4.
Havent seen a good movie 4 ages it seems.
10 Dec 2011, 20:25 pm
Nice stuff Paul T, well said- if Piet Div only had half of your braincells…
10 Dec 2011, 20:29 pm
@Robzim-266:
Before I settle down to my Soetwater ‘kreef’ and the delectable white wine that will wash it downn let me sort you out by informing you that you can insult these not somaterialistically inclined decent people as much as you like wiith your “Elephantsaders” and other factors you suck out of your thumbs about them(how far or not they have travelled), but you have never walked(and will never) in their shoes.
Thus you will never understand how much they value their self-respect and human dignity the way they do even when the likes of you are so easily irritated to the point of venting your frustrations by needlessly insulting them. And yet you know thhem NOT.
10 Dec 2011, 20:32 pm
How and why did they lose that one?
10 Dec 2011, 20:33 pm
Saturday Night bickering in full swing I see!!
10 Dec 2011, 20:34 pm
Evening Ladies and Gents……Has your days sport now come to an end?
10 Dec 2011, 20:39 pm
You cannot explain that one; my only guess is that our admin is just that 5% more corrupt than theirs…
Because it does not make sense – clearly we are the better team…
10 Dec 2011, 20:40 pm
@ET.-272:
I hope the Soetwater “kreef” were legally taken by a permit holder and not bought from a “subsistance or recretional” fisher.
Mind you, i have been asked to assist with a dive tomorrow- still contemplating….
I take your point that i have never walked in their shoes- some of them just seem so young,sometimes I wonder whether they just do not support the AB”s because it is “fashionable” to do so.
I have a nice Durbanville cellars SB going here at the moment as well- take it easy.
10 Dec 2011, 20:43 pm
So I didn’t miss much, then?
10 Dec 2011, 20:44 pm
@Jeraldjay-268: 7s and 15s are not the same thing.
10 Dec 2011, 20:45 pm
Hugs try Lincoln Lawyer!
Brill
10 Dec 2011, 20:46 pm
Tac. I know you missed me.
Huh? Huh?
10 Dec 2011, 20:46 pm
Elliot praat ‘n bietjie te veel kak as usual. What the fook is this about walking in other people’s smelly shoes? Who’d wanna do that? Jirre.
10 Dec 2011, 20:49 pm
@Robzim-277:
You clearly attempt to deflect the seriousness of my response to your stupid comments today.
Who are you to concern yourself about my permit or lack of it?
For more than 30 years and because I am a disciplined, principled community-orientated person I have never taken a ‘kreef’ or ‘galjoen’ or any protected species without the required ‘papers’, ever.
Are you trying to indicate that youngsters cannot learn about history from thhe experiences of their parents annd grand-parents who you so readily have insulted , now and again?
10 Dec 2011, 20:49 pm
Leave extraball
He is enjoying what he’ll never see taste or hear in Philly
10 Dec 2011, 20:50 pm
@Robzim-277:
What a gentleman, he was trying to wind you up too!!
10 Dec 2011, 20:53 pm
@ET.-283:
Here we go once again……..!!
As the master stupid comments you are in the perfect position to pronounce on pontificating pillocks.
10 Dec 2011, 20:54 pm
@carol-285: I think Elliot’s words were, he was going “to sort out” Rob… probably sincerely believes in his own little world that he has too. Sitting like a little cockatoo with his feathers flared in front of his PC.
10 Dec 2011, 20:54 pm
@ET.-283:
All that is clear to me is that u got farkall sense of humour.
Do you really think i care where you got the kreef from.
And your comments re Kallis were pathetic to say the least.
Don’t know why I bother with you.
10 Dec 2011, 20:56 pm
Eugh. Smelly shoes.
10 Dec 2011, 20:58 pm
@ET.-283: You do know that the only thing good for a Cape Vlakte Stormersader is a good, old fashioned PK (PoesKlap if you didn’t know)…. No two ways about it. A good old hereditary PK, passed down from Oupa to Pa to Laatie, ne?
10 Dec 2011, 20:58 pm
@carol-285:
Hi lovely,
Its normal stuff for us- just some arguing about kreef and about locals like ET who supports the AB’s – nothing serious.
Whats happening in Oxfordshire?
10 Dec 2011, 20:59 pm
@Heavens Game-290: Yup, give a PK to a Stormersader Oupa and you klap the whole fandamily… Good… Moerhom stukkend!
10 Dec 2011, 21:00 pm
@Heavens Game-290: agreed! A good ‘ol poesklap.
10 Dec 2011, 21:01 pm
@wooden spoon-287:
Bit chilly in Philly, imagine him in his fluffy slippers and ‘fleecy leisure pants’ deciding who to insult next…..!
10 Dec 2011, 21:02 pm
Only saw this now:
‘the latter score a controversial one as a few South African players believed they were tripped during the final play’
Will have to check, if true then we will have to do something about NZ cheating just about everywhere. One thing that is uniform with NZ players is that they do not roll away quick enough but go unpunished
McCaw does it, the mechanic prop brothers do it and even the 7′s players.
10 Dec 2011, 21:02 pm
Sigh. Tac = rejection.
I must grow a thick skin.
10 Dec 2011, 21:02 pm
@Heavens Game-292: Ja, if you PK Oupa… He then clubs Ouma, with a couple more teef missing in the process… thats if there are any left at her age… She then moers Pa… Who the shocks Ma… who ultimately PKs all the little Stormersader laaities… One big chain reaction PK… Good innit?
10 Dec 2011, 21:04 pm
@wooden spoon-293: Maybe a PK with an old “Karless” cricket bat will be schweet justice for all…
10 Dec 2011, 21:05 pm
@Robzim-291:
Hi gorgeous, getting ready for our lunch party tomorrow…Well WRS is, I am sipping bubbles here!
10 Dec 2011, 21:06 pm
@Dawn-296: I reckon you got a thick skin already… Thick like an elephant seal… With a body to match, no?
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