Blitzboks stun New Zealand to make Olympic semifinals

The Blitzboks produced a stunning performance to beat New Zealand 14-7 in the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games Sevens tournament at a packed Stade de France in Paris on Thursday night.

It was a brilliant performance from the Blitzboks, by far their best of the tournament so far, to upset the heavily fancied New Zealand who went into the game unbeaten.

The South Africans will now take on hosts France, who claimed a superb 26-14 win over Argentina in their quarterfinal, in the semifinals on Saturday, for a shot at the gold medal.

It should be an incredible atmosphere for the semifinal as the French fans were behind New Zealand in the quarters, showing they still haven’t gotten over France’s quarterfinal defeat to the Springboks in last year’s World Cup, and they will be firmly behind their side on Saturday.

The Blitzboks almost didn’t make it into the quarters, losing their opening two pool games against Ireland and New Zealand on Wednesday’s first day of action.

However they snuck into the knockouts as the number eight seeds after their thumping 49-5 final pool win over Japan saw them just edge out Samoa on points difference to keep their Olympic dream alive.

New Zealand by contrast thumped Japan, beat the Blitzboks and edged Ireland in their final pool match to go into the knockouts with all the momentum.

But it was the Blitzboks that came out all guns blazing in a cracking first half between the two fierce rivals, taking a 14-7 lead into the break after getting off to a flying start.

They were first in from a lineout in New Zealand’s 22m, securing the ball and spreading it for captain Selvyn Davids to scythe through and score, with Tristan Leyds adding the extras.

Davids magic

New Zealand looked to hit back and took play into the Blitzboks 22m, but a knock-on allowed the Blitzboks to counter at pace, with Davids kicking the ball ahead twice, before picking it up and offloading to Leyds to score in the corner, with him slotting the tough conversion for a 14-0 lead.

After the halftime hooter New Zealand kept the ball alive, earned a penalty and kicked it just outside the Blitzboks 22m, with them attacking from the lineout and spreading it for Moses Leo to sprint in for a crucial converted score.

The Blitzboks almost got off to the perfect start in the second half, but Shilton van Wyk unfortunately knocked on over the tryline under huge pressure after a chip over the New Zealand defence.

It was then a defensive clinic from the Blitzboks over the rest of the half as they repelled wave after wave of New Zealand attack, including somehow keeping them out twice when they looked like they would score on attack in their 22m, to secure a fantastic win.

Earlier in the day the Blitzboks picked up their first win at their third attempt, thanks to a flying start against Japan.

They powered a 35-0 lead at halftime thanks to five tries, with Zain Davids, Impi Visser, Shilton van Wyk and two scores to Ryan Oosthuizen, all converted by Leyds, putting them in the driving seat.

Japan struck first in the second half with an unconverted score to Kazuma Ueda, but the Blitzboks finished well as Rosko Specman and a second try to Van Wyk, both converted by Ronald Brown, made sure that they would reach the quarterfinals.