Hong Kong Sevens | Blitzboks turn on the style to thrash Argentina, top Pool A
by Craig Taylor · KickOffAll the fixtures and times and match reports for the Blitzboks Pool A matches at the Hong Kong Sevens.
The Blitzboks take on Uruguay, Spain and Argentina on Friday and Saturday in the search for a place in the knockout stages.
Saturday, 18 April
v Argentina
Following their shock loss to Spain on Friday, the Blitzboks had it all to do against Argentina, and they responded brilliantly, showing just why they are the top side in sevens rugby.
Philip Snyman's charges ran out 38-0 winners, scoring six tries with Sebastiaan Jobb, Ryan Oosthuizen, Selvyn Davids, Tristan Leyds (2) and Shilton van Wyk crossing the whitewash, with Leyds (3) and Ronald Brown kicking conversions for an emphatic win.
They will now play in the quarter-finals but will have to wait to see who their opponents are as other fixtures play out.
Scorers
Blitzboks 38 (26)
Tries: Sebastiaan Jobb, Ryan Oosthuizen, Selvyn Davids, Tristan Leyds (2) and Shilton van Wyk
Conversions: Tristan Leyds (3), Ronald Brown
Argentina 7 (0)
Friday, 17 April
v Uruguay
After a scrappy start, the Blitzboks opened the scoring five minutes into the first half when Tristan Leyds cut through the Uruguayan defence in midfield to cruise over the line from 45 metres out for a 5-0 lead.
Selvyn Davids extended that lead to 12-0 with another piece of individual brilliance, which saw him step through two defenders on his way to a try.
Leyds converted to give the Blitzboks a 12-0 lead at half-time.
Uruguay scored in the final minute of the second half through Diego Ardao, but the Blitzboks had done enough to get their tournament off to a good start by running out 12-7 winners.
Scorers
Blitzboks 12 (12)
Tries: Tristan Leyds, Selvyn Davids
Conversions: Tristan Leyds
Uruguay 7 (0)
Tries: Diego Ardao
Conversions: Juan Manuel Tafernaberry
v Spain
Spain bossed possession in the opening minutes and were rewarded when they worked space on the left to get Tobias Sainz-Trápaga over for a converted score and a 7-0 lead.
Spain’s dominance continued, and they extended their lead to 14-0 on the half-time hooter when Eduardo López broke a tackle in midfield to score, leaving the Blitzboks with it all to do in the second half.
The Blitzboks needed to start the second stanza well, but it was Spain who scored again as Sainz-Trápaga got his second of the match for a 19-0 lead.
The Blitzboks were finally on the scoreboard a minute later, thanks to Shilton van Wyk, whose converted try cut Spain’s lead to 19-7.
But Spain secured the match soon after, as López scored his second try of the day, breaking through the Blitzboks' defence to push the score out to 26-7.
Another try followed for Spain when Jeremy Trevithick crossed the whitewash, while South Africa scored a consolation try through Donavan Don, but ultimately went down 31-12.
Defeat means the Blitzboks will have it all to do in their final Pool A match against Argentina on Saturday morning.
Scorers
Blitzboks 12 (0)
Tries: Shilton van Wyk, Donavan Don
Conversions: Ronald Brown
Spain 31 (14)
Tries: Tobias Sainz-Trápaga (2), Eduardo López (2), Jeremy Trevithick
Conversions: Francisco Cosculluela, Juan Ramos
READ | Four SA teams, one huge URC weekend with everything on the line
Hong Kong Sevens Pools
A: South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay
B: Fiji, France, Great Britain, Germany
C: New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, USA
Blitzbok pool schedule
Friday, 17 April
05h16: Uruguay
08h49: Spain
Saturday, 18 April
06h13: Argentina