The Springbok Sevens have come off second best in almost every contest against Fiji in this year’s HSBC World SVNS Series - but not on Sunday as they showed grit and determination to win another tight contest 21-19 and claim the crown as Perth Sevens champions.
The Blitzboks have only beaten Fiji one other time this season - in extra time in Cape Town where they also won the title, and on Sunday they dug deep to finally come out on top, after losing the pool game between the two sides on Saturday.
The Blitzboks also lost in extra time in Singapore, and this win will go down as a massive one for them.
Special scenes as the Blitzboks win in Perth 🤩🏆#SSRugby | #HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER pic.twitter.com/UflHjlPHqa
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 8, 2026
But if they were looking for inspiration, there is nobody more deserving of the Player of the final award than Ryan Oosthuizen.
The 30-year-old rock in the side scored a brace of tries - the second one being the crucial difference between the sides - and underlined the fight in the team to get over the line.
Oosthuizen often goes unnoticed in the side, but has been the rock of the team for some while now, and always plays with his heart on his sleeve.
And even when Fiji scored their first try, and Oosthuizen was hopelessly outpaced by the Series’ top try-scorer Viwa Naduvalo, Oosthuizen had the presence of mind to escort him to the corner to make the conversion even more difficult.
That conversion was missed, and was ultimately the two points between the two sides, after Ricardo Duartee converted all his kicks in a tight contest.
But across the 14 minutes, the Blitzboks were sharper and exploited mistakes that kept Fiji very much in check, even though they were the underdogs in the contest.
The result is the Blitzboks moved into second spot on the overall log behind Fiji and with two tournaments in the regular season left, will be challenging them for top honours.
South Africa close the gap to Fiji after their win in Perth 🇿🇦🔥#SSRugby | #HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER pic.twitter.com/klPZ9oRkPk
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 8, 2026
The first try came from a turnover, as Dawid Brits intercepted a pass backwards and sent it wide to Sebastian Jobb, who put Oosthuizen in for a run into the corner.
Then, after Fiji spilt the ball two minutes later, Duartee changed direction and skipped a pass to Jobb who sped down the near touchline to put the Blitzboks 14-0 up.
Nobody is stopping Sebastiaan Jobb 👟💨
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 8, 2026
The Blitzboks strike from deep in their own half 🤩👏#SSRugby | #HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER pic.twitter.com/vQku0MQA6s
SUPERHUMAN RUN
Even this lead wasn’t safe as Fiji would show - as they did from the same scoreline on Saturday - that they would storm back into the game.
Naduvalo scored to put Fiji on the board, and then Jeremaia Matana scored after Fiji had initially knocked on a tap penalty, but the referee Nick Hogan allowed them to take it again as they weren’t on the mark.
At 14-12 at the break it was precariously poised, and Fiji took the lead shortly after the break when Teiro Velawa scored to put them 19-14 up. It looked as if it was a repeat of Saturday when they stormed back to win.
But then Oosthuizen got the ball, beat one player, stepped inside and handed off Naduvalo, who fell heavily. He brushed off two more players in a superhuman run to the line and scored.
Brutal running from Oosthuizen 💪💣
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 8, 2026
He beats three defenders to put the Blitzboks ahead 🙌#SSRugby | #HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER pic.twitter.com/rPUvPq7Lxt
After a long injury break where Naduvalo had to be stretchered off, Duartee stepped up and slotted the conversion.
Fiji had their chances in the final two minutes, but the Blitzboks smothered them on defence, winning two penalties in the final minute to see them home.
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐇 🥳🏆
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 8, 2026
The Blitzboks end their long wait for a Cup final win Down Under 🇿🇦🔥#SSRugby | #HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER pic.twitter.com/KZvncJsa8V
Afterwards Oosthuizen praised the fight in the team.
“I’m very happy with that performance. Playing Fiji you know it will be a battle and we expected a war today and they delivered it. I’m super proud of the way the team fought for each other - that’s the Blitzbok standard and everybody delivered,” Oosthuizen said.
On his bulldozing try, he joked that “I’m not as fast as some of these other guys so sometimes I have to run over people.”
Earlier in the day the Blitzboks had beaten Australia to book their place in the final, while Fiji had demolished New Zealand 35-0.
But at the end of the evening it was Blitzboks who were smiling as they claimed their second title this season, and their first in Australia since 2017.