TEAM SOUTH Africa flag-bearer Cecil Afrika proclaimed rugby the national sport after the Blitzboks stunned favourites New Zealand to win the Commonwealth Games gold.

The Kiwis had only ever known victory since the sport made its debut at the Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

"This feeling is the greatest," said triumphant Afrika, who carried the SA flag at the opening ceremony last week and scored the decisive third try in SA's 17-12 win over the Kiwis on Sunday.

The elated veteran then gushed: "Rugby is our national sport, we always strive to be the best in the world.

"Our former president Nelson Mandela said rugby and sports can bring people and nations together. Over the last 20 years South Africa has really pulled together as a nation.

"As a squad we want to take this forward to the Rio Olympics [in 2016]. I know we have made the people back home proud."

New Zealander Tim Mikkelson, the man who failed to stop Afrika from scoring the try, praised his SA opponent.

"When I saw it [the ball] pop out, I saw that he had a guy outside. I thought he might pass it but he just gunned it for the corner," Mikkelson said.

"I tried to chase but had been playing a while by then, so was tired. Cecil's class. He's fast and he can finish, so he was always going to finish that opportunity."

Seabelo Senatla , who scored the Blitzboks' first two tries in the final and crossed 11 times throughout the tournament, said his side had been boosted by the fans, who numbered more than 125000 for the two days of sevens rugby at the Ibrox Stadium, normally the home of Glasgow Rangers football team.

"The crowd was behind us and that spurs you on at the end when your legs are tired."

He said the South Africans never lost faith in themselves: "We focused on ourselves and getting a good result and of course we were able to do that."

With rugby sevens scheduled to make its Olympic debut at Rio, there is still plenty more work to do.