South Africa’s Blitzboks clinched victory at the Cape Town Sevens, dramatically defending their title against Argentina on Sunday, while Australia’s Wallaroos pulled off a significant upset against New Zealand in the women’s final. This victory marked the first time in a decade that a men’s team has won back-to-back titles at the Cape Town event.
The Blitzboks displayed resilience, coming from behind in the final minute of the match. Argentina had initially taken control, leading 14-7 at halftime with an impressive performance from Marcos Moneta, who scored two tries. The turning point came when South Africa’s Shilton van Wyk intercepted the ball on halfway and assisted Christie Grobbelaar, who scored the equalizing try. A conversion by Ricardo Duarttee put South Africa ahead 21-19 with less than 30 seconds remaining.
Argentina’s Luciano Gonzalez, the tournament’s leading try-scorer, contributed to their early lead, but South Africa’s Donavan Don countered with a try following a Zain Davids intercept. Moneta’s second try shortly after halftime extended Argentina’s lead to 19-7. However, a try from Blitzboks debutant Sonwabo Sokoyi reignited hope for the home side, ultimately leading to their thrilling comeback.
In the women’s final, the Wallaroos ended a streak of four consecutive losses to New Zealand in the World Series. Australia dominated the first half, with Heidi Dennis scoring the opening try after brushing off a tackle. Teagan Levi followed shortly after, adding another try, while Bella Nasser capitalized on a tapped penalty to extend the lead to 19-0 before halftime.
The second half saw Australia maintain their momentum, with Maddison Levi scoring another converted try, bringing the score to 26-0. New Zealand managed to score two late tries through Kelsey Teneti and Stacey Waaka, but they were unable to close the gap, leaving Australia to celebrate a well-deserved victory.
The next leg of the Sevens World Series will take place in Singapore from January 31 to February 1, where teams will look to build on their performances in Cape Town. As the tournament progresses, both South Africa and Australia will aim to carry their momentum into future matches.
