Blitzboks complete dramatic comeback to lift Cape Town Sevens trophy
Christie Grobbelaar, seen here in action against France, scored a late try for the Blitzboks as they beat Argentina on Sunday to claim the Cape Town Sevens crown for the second year running.
Image: Blitzboks on X
The Blitzboks came from behind once again to claim a famous 21-19 victory over Argentina in the final of the Cape Town Sevens on Sunday evening.
The victory meant that South Africa have now won back-to-back titles on home soil, but it was nearly a different result as Argentina looked dominant early on.
At kick-off, the Blitzboks failed to keep ball possession, and Argentina took advantage of the resulting scrum that led to Luciano Gonzales running in to score the first points of the game.
With Argentina looking to score once again, Zayn Davids snatched the ball for the home side, and they shifted it out to the wing for Donovan Don, who scored under the posts to make it 7-7.
Argentina were soon back in front when Gonzales found some space through the middle and fed Marcos Moneta to score beneath the posts. Santiago Vera Feld made no mistake with his conversion and made it 14-7.
The Blitzboks had a chance to get back even before the half-time whistle, but they couldn’t hold on to the ball with a number of Argentinean players already beaten.
Moneta then turned the screws after he collected the ball and ran almost the length of the pitch to stretch Argentina’s lead to 19-7 and silenced the home crowd.
The Blitzboks needed a moment of magic, and it was provided by debutant Sonwabo Sokoyi, who ran in a try to give the home team and their fans crammed in the Cape Town Stadium some hope.
With seconds remaining on the clock, Shilton van Wyk forced a knock-on from Argentina, and the resulting counter-attack saw Christie Grobbelaar dotting down under the posts, with Ricardo Duarttee converting to put the Blitzboks 21-19 ahead.
The final whistle confirmed a thrilling comeback and a testament to the Blitzboks’ resilience and never-say-die spirit. Cape Town erupted as the home side celebrated back-to-back victories, with the win not only boosting their morale but sending a clear message to the rest of the Sevens circuit: under pressure, South Africa thrives.
For the fans, it was a night of drama, skill, and sheer heart – the kind of rugby that will be remembered long after the stadium lights dim.
IOL Sport