South Africa Triumphs in Perth Sevens
In a thrilling showdown in Perth, South Africa clinched their first title in the Australian leg of the sevens world series since 2017, edging out Fiji with a narrow 21-19 victory in the finals on Sunday. The match saw a dramatic turnaround led by South African player Ryan Oosthuizen, whose remarkable ability to fend off defenders resulted in a key try that leveled the score. His effort, which involved overpowering four Fijian players, was successfully converted by teammate Ricardo Duarttee, marking a turning point in the match.
“I’m not the fastest player, so sometimes I have to go through people instead,” Oosthuizen commented after the match.
The victory was hard-earned, as South Africa set the pace early, capitalizing on two crucial mistakes from Fiji to surge ahead 14-0 within the first four minutes, thanks to conversions from Duarttee after Oosthuizen’s and Sebastiaan Jobb’s tries. However, Fiji, known for their ability to rally back, was not to be underestimated. Just a week prior, they had overcome a 12-point deficit to triumph over France in the Singapore final.
In the Perth match, Fiji’s Terio Veilawa played a pivotal role, orchestrating plays that helped the team narrow the gap to just two points by halftime. He set up tries for Viwa Naduvalo and captain Jeremaia Matana, before scoring himself in the second half to put Fiji ahead 19-14 after a remarkable individual effort.
Yet, the lead was fleeting as Oosthuizen struck again with another high-energy try, pushing South Africa back in front, thanks to Duarttee’s clutch conversion from a difficult angle. The final moments of the match saw intense defensive maneuvers from both sides, including a crucial tackle by Nacani Boginisoko against South Africa’s Donovan Don, preserving Fiji’s hopes.
New Zealand Dominates Women’s Final
In the women’s final, New Zealand put on a commanding performance against Australia, defeating the defending champions 29-7, putting an end to Australia’s impressive 10-match winning streak at home. The Kiwis demonstrated their resilience and skill after a tough defeat in the previous tournament and continued their dominance in the series.
They bounced back from an early setback, initially conceding a try to Australian Heidi Dennis, but quickly retaliated through a sensational run by Jorja Miller, who delivered the assist leading to a score by captain Risi Pouri-Lane.
New Zealand’s Kelsey Teneti shone with multiple tries, demonstrating their tactical superiority as they seized control of the match. As the dust settled, Pouri-Lane expressed pride in her team’s cohesion and ability to perform in challenging conditions.
Both the men’s and women’s series will continue with the next tournament scheduled in Vancouver on March 7-8, further fueling the excitement for sevens rugby fans around the globe.
