Controversial TMO call sinks Blitzboks

Kenya scored a shock win over South Africa to hand the Blitzboks their first defeat in the Dubai Sevens, benefitting from one of the most controversial Television match official decisions in the shortened game.

Kenya won 22-17 after the television match official awarded a try after the hooter as Nygel Parrersan Amaitsa and Siviwe Soyizwapi both dived for a kicked through ball into the Blitzboks in-goal area, with replays showing no clear grounding of the ball.

Despite several replays not showing any grounding, which looked more as if Amaitsa had knocked it on, the TMO inexplicably gave the try, handing Kenya the victory.

It was a bitter taste to end an enthralling contest after the Blitzboks came back after a horror first half from 17-0 down to level it at 17-all, with Tristan Leyds missing a conversion that would have sealed the game.

Leyds had looked like he had scored an acrobatic try in diving in at the corner, only for the TMO to disallow the try, but from the ensuing lineout, the Blitzboks charged down the attempted clearance, only for Leyds to pounce and score from the charge down.

But he missed a relatively easy conversion attempt before Amaitsa was awarded the try from the next play for the golden point.

Leyds also scored the first try after Donavan Don gave him the perfect switch while Don scored the only other try for the Blitzboks.

The first half was a nightmare for the Blitzboks as they messed up three kickoffs that all led to tries for Kenya.

Earlier Leyds scored a brace as they opened their account with a 17-0 win over Australia.

Their final game of the evening will be against Olympic Champions France at 6:44pm.