Fiji narrowly lost to South Africa in a thrilling Cup final in Perth on Sunday, with the final score ending at 21–19, marking South Africa’s second title of the season.
The South Africa Sevens team, coached by Philip Snyman, took an early lead, scoring 14 unanswered points within the first four minutes, thanks to tries from Ryan Oosthuizen and Sebastian Jobb. Both scores were the result of quick turnovers followed by sharp counter-attacks.
However, Fiji displayed their renowned resilience, with tries from Vuiviawa Naduvalo and captain Jerry Matana helping them close the gap to 14–12 by halftime, putting pressure on South Africa’s defense.
At the start of the second half, Fiji gained the upper hand when Terio Veilawa scored, pushing them ahead 19–14. Yet, the tide turned just a minute later as Oosthuizen scored again, and Ricardo Duarttee’s challenging sideline conversion sealed the victory for the Blitzboks.
South Africa successfully converted all three of their tries, while Fiji managed to convert two out of three, demonstrating the razor-thin margin that decided the match.
This victory marks the Blitzboks’ first Cup final win in Australia since 2017, adding to their previous success at the Cape Town Sevens in December. Fiji will be looking to rebound when the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series continues in Vancouver on March 7–8, affording them another chance to showcase their talent and determination on the field.
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