The Springbok Sevens went crashing out of the Dubai Sevens as they went down to New Zealand 24-17 in a pulsating quarterfinal.
The Blitzboks have won the last five Dubai Sevens tournaments, but their bench was their undoing as the All Blacks got their first win against their traditional rivals since the 2007/8 season in the Desert tournament.
In a game where the lead changed several times, the Blitzboks eventually showed holes in their defence late in the game as the bench faltered, and the All Blacks powered through with two late tries to win the game.
It means the Blitzboks will now go into the fifth place playoff where they will face Olympic champions France, who lost to Fiji in their quarterfinal. The Blitzboks beat France in their final pool game on Saturday.
The All Blacks will face the Spaniards in their semifinal, a day after Spain shocked them in pool play, for a place in the final.
The Blitzboks struck early in the first of two tries by Quewin Nortje as their defence held firm, and a turnover ball spread wide sent the winger in at the corner.
Ngahori McGarvey-Black scored just before halftime to make it an even contest at the break, and even though Nortje added his second early in the second half, it was McGarvey-Black that replied for the All Blacks a second time in an end to end try.
The Blitzboks looked to have taken the initiative as Donavan Don went in at the corner with two minutes to go, but then on defence the Blitzboks faltered, first when Sofai Maka smoked David Brits on the outside to score.
Then, after the Blitzboks were desperately trying to win the game, a turnover after the whistle saw Maka grab his second to settle the contest, and the final whistle spelt disappointment for the Blitzboks as their new dawn stuttered.