Springbok Sevens playmaker Selvyn Davids scored an exceptional try after the full-time whistle to give the Blitzboks an unbelievable 24-17 win over a nuggety Argentina in the Malaga Sevens.
Davids got the perfect pass from Justin Geduld and then pinned his ears back, using his pace to outsprint the Argentinean defence for the crucial moment after scores were level in an epic final.
The Blitzboks had to come from behind twice, and it showed as they racked up their 29th consecutive win, and their third consecutive title in this year’s World Sevens Series. It was also their fifth consecutive tournament win if you count the two tournaments in Canada last year.
The moment that mattered
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) January 23, 2022
Scoreboard locked at 17-17. Extra time looming. And then Selvyn Davids did this#HSBC7s | #Spain7s | @Blitzboks pic.twitter.com/LHwqOJJTtM
Yet this was probably the most they were tested, and by the side that ruined their Olympic dream.
Argentina shocked the Blitzboks in Tokyo last year to ruin Neil Powell’s dream of a gold Olympic medal, and they again showed they had the measure at times of the Blitzboks.
Since that Tokyo disappointment the Blitzboks have regrouped and come back stronger. While the series hasn’t had the likes of New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa, there hasn’t been a team that has come close to them.
Until Malaga, as Argentina took them to the wire.
It started with a tough first half where Argentina struck first, with Rodrigo Isgo scoring in the first minute to rock the Blitzboks.
Until then they had only conceded one try in the entire tournament, but Argentina showed they meant business.
Still, the Blitzboks regrouped and didn’t panic, with Davids scoring on the stroke of halftime to put them ahead.
The second half saw the Blitzboks take control and look as if they were going to cruise to the title, especially when JC Pretorius scored in the corner after a long pass put him into space.
But just as they looked on top, Argentina showed their spirit and hit back twice - both times through Joaquin de la Vega to take the lead before Geduld made the scores level with time running out.
A crucial turnover on the full-time whistle and the never-say-die attitude of the Blitzboks in the last seconds saw them harassed, but good thinking by Geduld drew two defenders, before popping it to Davids who had lots of space in front of him.
And Davids made no mistake, powering to the line to score the perfect winner and keep their perfect record in this year’s World Sevens in tact.