Sevens
Blitzbokke top their pool
2010-03-20 10:59
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Adelaide - Springbok Sevens flyhalf Cecil Afrika nailed a last second conversion to force a remarkable draw with Samoa, and send his side through to the quarterfinals at the top of Pool B.
The dramatic end of the game came as Samoa looked to have done enough to win the game, but veteran Uale Mai had his kick charged down and with Afrika gathering the ball, a wave of attack was put into motion after the final whistle which ended with Frankie Horne powering over to score.
It put the Blitzbokke 10-12 behind with the kick to come, but Afrika’s low and twirling kick managed to creep over the bar to force the draw.
The kick meant that the Blitzbokke will now face Argentina in the quarterfinals and not IRB World Sevens log leaders New Zealand, definitely a better draw to have on the final day.
It also showed the strides the Blitzbokke have made since they lost a number of senior players – either to Super 14 call-ups or injury this season and will have pleased coach Paul Treu.
Samoa were the winners in the last tournament in Las Vegas and will now have to face the Kiwis in an epic quarterfinal.
The Blitzbokke couldn’t convert some early possession advantage and fell behind as try-scoring machine Mikaele Pesamino beat two tackles to score under the posts. It was Pesamino’s eighth try in this tournament.
But the Boks own find of the tournament, 19-year old Blue Bull Sampie Mastriet added to his try-scoring tally when Frankie Horne put him through a gap just before half-time to score his sixth try of the tournament.
Poised at 7-5 behind, the Samoans found space on the outside sending Faituo Otto over in the corner in what seemed as if it had sealed the victory.
But then came the comeback, with Horne’s try and Afrika’s kick providing the perfect boost for Treu’s hopes of defending the title the Boks won here for the last two years.
Earlier the Boks shut out France 38-0 with Mastriet grabbing a brace to ensure their place in the quarter-finals. The victory came after their 40-0 win over Japan on day one where Mastriet scored a hat-trick on debut.
Results from day 2 in Adelaide:Japan 21-15 France
Wales 64-5 Papua New Guinea
Tonga 22-7 Scotland
United States 29-7 Niue
South Africa 12-1 Samoa
Fiji 21-7 Kenya
New Zealand 47-7 Argentina
Australia 17-12 England
Samoa 54-5 Japan
South Africa 38-0 France
Fiji 41-0 Papua New Guinea
Kenya 19-5 Wales
New Zealand 26-0 Tonga
Argentina 14-7 Scotland
England 38-0 Niue
Australia 36-0 United States
Cup quarterfinal fixtures:
New Zealand v Samoa
South Africa v Argentina
Wales v United States
Australia v Fiji
Cecil Afrika in action against Samoa (AFP)