THE Springbok Sevens team produced an exceptional display to rally from 12-0 down to beat HSBC World Series champions New Zealand 24-19 in the final of the Tokyo Sevens on Sunday.
It was a massive turnaround for the Blitzbokke, who endured a poor Hong Kong Sevens a week earlier, but dug deep to find the resolve to lift themselves and win the tournament.
They came back from the setback of losing their first game in Tokyo – going down 29-12 to Hong Kong champs Fiji – before heading to the Cup knockout stages and dispatching Samoa and France on day two before heading to the final.
The win was the second consecutive victory over the All Blacks – the last coming two tournaments back in Las Vegas when the Blitzbokke won the final in style – ironically also a week after they couldn’t make the Cup quarterfinals in Wellington, New Zealand.
The victory was sweet for coach Paul Treu, who has been under immense pressure this year, and lifts the Blitzbokke to second place in the HSBC World Series standings, although the 36-point lead New Zealand now has will probably be too much to be hauled in with only two tournaments left in this season’s series.
It also was another milestone for captain Frankie Horne, whose 48th consecutive tournament – a South African record – confirmed him as a quality leader who held his own against the best in the world.
After Seabelo Senatla’s heroics in scoring the winning try to oust Samoa in the quarterfinals, the Blitzbokke moved on and relied on another Senatla try to beat France 14-12 but were quickly behind against the All Blacks, who dominated early play and led 12-0.
Speedy Gilles Kaka handed off Cecil Afrika with ease to score the opening try and Tim Mikkelson was on the scoreboard shortly afterward to give the All Blacks a 12-0 halftime lead.
The second-half fightback stunned the New Zealanders, as the Blitzbokke kept the ball and played smart, trapping New Zealand in their own half and playing off their mistakes.
Senatla was the first to score in the second half after Cornal Hendricks tied up two defenders and brilliantly flicked the pass inside, and seconds later the Blitzbokke struck a second blow as Cecil Afrika grabbed a loose ball that spurted out of the scrum and ran in to put the Blitzbokke into the lead.
A drop penalty goal by Branco du Preez gave the Blitzbokke a five- point lead, and when Hendricks scored, it was game, set and match.
Ben Lam made the score more respectable with a try after the hooter .
Treu was a happy man.
“For us we have been so unlucky throughout the year, and to come back again after a disappointing tournament in Hong Kong, to bounce back and give a performance like that is great.
“It is not every day you beat New Zealand twice in a final. It is good momentum going into the RWC Sevens in Moscow.”
The Blitzbokke now head home for a few weeks before the double- header in Glasgow and London to end off the World Series.
Blitzbokke turn the tables on All Blacks in Tokyo bunfight
It was a massive turnaround for the Blitzbokke, who endured a poor Hong Kong Sevens a week earlier, but dug deep to find the resolve to lift themselves and win the tournament.
They came back from the setback of losing their first game in Tokyo – going down 29-12 to Hong Kong champs Fiji – before heading to the Cup knockout stages and dispatching Samoa and France on day two before heading to the final.
The win was the second consecutive victory over the All Blacks – the last coming two tournaments back in Las Vegas when the Blitzbokke won the final in style – ironically also a week after they couldn’t make the Cup quarterfinals in Wellington, New Zealand.
The victory was sweet for coach Paul Treu, who has been under immense pressure this year, and lifts the Blitzbokke to second place in the HSBC World Series standings, although the 36-point lead New Zealand now has will probably be too much to be hauled in with only two tournaments left in this season’s series.
It also was another milestone for captain Frankie Horne, whose 48th consecutive tournament – a South African record – confirmed him as a quality leader who held his own against the best in the world.
After Seabelo Senatla’s heroics in scoring the winning try to oust Samoa in the quarterfinals, the Blitzbokke moved on and relied on another Senatla try to beat France 14-12 but were quickly behind against the All Blacks, who dominated early play and led 12-0.
Speedy Gilles Kaka handed off Cecil Afrika with ease to score the opening try and Tim Mikkelson was on the scoreboard shortly afterward to give the All Blacks a 12-0 halftime lead.
The second-half fightback stunned the New Zealanders, as the Blitzbokke kept the ball and played smart, trapping New Zealand in their own half and playing off their mistakes.
Senatla was the first to score in the second half after Cornal Hendricks tied up two defenders and brilliantly flicked the pass inside, and seconds later the Blitzbokke struck a second blow as Cecil Afrika grabbed a loose ball that spurted out of the scrum and ran in to put the Blitzbokke into the lead.
A drop penalty goal by Branco du Preez gave the Blitzbokke a five- point lead, and when Hendricks scored, it was game, set and match.
Ben Lam made the score more respectable with a try after the hooter .
Treu was a happy man.
“For us we have been so unlucky throughout the year, and to come back again after a disappointing tournament in Hong Kong, to bounce back and give a performance like that is great.
“It is not every day you beat New Zealand twice in a final. It is good momentum going into the RWC Sevens in Moscow.”
The Blitzbokke now head home for a few weeks before the double- header in Glasgow and London to end off the World Series.
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