South Africa won the first tournament of the 2008/09 IRB World Sevens Series in Dubai on Saturday when they beat England 19-12 in the final with a last gasp try.
South Africa won the first tournament of the 2008/09 IRB World Sevens Series in Dubai on Saturday when they beat England 19-12 in the final with a last gasp try.
South Africa took an early 7-0 lead after a try by Robert Ebersohn and, helped by many handling errors from England who tried to run at speed with their big backs, had territorial advantage until Mpho Mbiyizo scored nine minutes into the first half for a 12-0 lead.
A swarming Bok defence clearly unsettled the English in the first half.
But Tom Biggs cut the lead down to 12-5 and, down to six men after a yellow card, the Boks conceded another converted try scored by Rob Vickermann.
With four minutes to go, it was all square at 12-all before the last-gasp goal.
l In the Cup semifinal caretaker Springbok captain Mzwandile Stick, with two amazing kicks just seconds apart, dramatically put South Africa into the final.
l The Springboks beat Fiji 10-7 in extra time after England had eliminated defending champions New Zealand 21-19 in the other semifinal.
Boks show no mercy to careless England
South Africa won the first tournament of the 2008/09 IRB World Sevens Series in Dubai on Saturday when they beat England 19-12 in the final with a last gasp try.
South Africa won the first tournament of the 2008/09 IRB World Sevens Series in Dubai on Saturday when they beat England 19-12 in the final with a last gasp try.
South Africa took an early 7-0 lead after a try by Robert Ebersohn and, helped by many handling errors from England who tried to run at speed with their big backs, had territorial advantage until Mpho Mbiyizo scored nine minutes into the first half for a 12-0 lead.
A swarming Bok defence clearly unsettled the English in the first half.
But Tom Biggs cut the lead down to 12-5 and, down to six men after a yellow card, the Boks conceded another converted try scored by Rob Vickermann.
With four minutes to go, it was all square at 12-all before the last-gasp goal.
l In the Cup semifinal caretaker Springbok captain Mzwandile Stick, with two amazing kicks just seconds apart, dramatically put South Africa into the final.
l The Springboks beat Fiji 10-7 in extra time after England had eliminated defending champions New Zealand 21-19 in the other semifinal.