In a tightly contested encounter played in treacherous conditions, the Springbok Sevens team edged out Ireland 14-7 in their Pool D opener at the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday. The match was played in driving rain and windy conditions, which made it challenging for both teams to play their usual game.
The South Africans opened the scoring midway through the first half with a try by Mfundo Ndhlovu, but Ireland responded soon after when Matthew McDonald scored a try. The teams went into half-time level at 7-7.
The second half saw South Africa come out strongly and boss most of the play. However, they were unable to convert their opportunities into points until the dying minutes of the match. With the scores level at 7-7 and time running out, the Blitzboks piled on the pressure and were eventually rewarded when Zain Davids broke through to score in the corner. Ricardo Duarttee then slotted the conversion from the corner to give South Africa a 14-7 lead with less than 10 seconds remaining.
There was still time left for a restart though, as Ireland launched an attack from deep. They surged into the South African 22m area where they camped for close to three minutes in added time. However, the South African defence held firm, and they managed to keep Ireland at bay to secure a vital victory.
The win was particularly satisfying for the South Africans as they had lost 14-5 to Ireland in their previous encounter in Los Angeles. The result gives them a good start to their campaign in Hong Kong, and they will now face New Zealand and Kenya on Saturday to conclude pool play.
In conclusion, the Springbok Sevens team’s 14-7 victory over Ireland in treacherous conditions was a hard-fought and well-deserved win. The South Africans showed great resilience and determination to secure the victory, and they will now look to build on this momentum as they progress further in the tournament.
Main Image: SA Rugby
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