By Marcus Moloko
The Springbok Sevens staged a dramatic comeback to win 21–19 against Argentina to defend their title on Sunday afternoon.
The Blitzboks became the first team to retain the Cape Town crown, finishing the weekend as the only unbeaten men’s side.
The final was a nail-biter from the start. Argentina struck first from a midfield scrum, sending the ball wide to Luciano Gonzalez, who crossed the line for a converted try within two minutes.
South Africa responded swiftly as Zain Davids intercepted a pass deep inside the Blitzboks’ 22 and launched a counterattack that ended with Donavan Don scoring under the posts. Ricardo Duarttee’s conversion leveled the score at 7–7.
But Argentina wasn’t done. A lapse in concentration after the restart allowed Marcos Moneta to race away untouched for a second try, and moments later, he added another to stretch the lead to 19–7 early in the second half. With momentum firmly in Argentina’s favor, the Blitzboks were staring down defeat.
Then came the fightback.
Newcomer Sonwabo Sokoyi brought hope with a brilliant solo try, slicing through defenders to narrow the gap.
With time running out, veteran Christie Grobbelaar powered over under the posts, and Duarttee calmly slotted the conversion to give South Africa a 21 – 19 lead.
Argentina had one final chance to steal victory, but the Blitzboks’ defence stood tall. A moment of defensive brilliance with the clock in the red sealed the win, sending the home crowd into rapturous celebration.
INSIDE POLITICS