Blitzbokke fail to defend Dubai title — Fiji win and USA shock

THE Blitzbokke had to settle for the Plate title in the opening leg of the 2015/16 Sevens World Series in Dubai after falling to the USA in the Cup quarterfinals yesterday.

South Africa beat Australia 19-14 after extra time in the consolation final, while reigning World Seven Series champions Fiji won the Cup with a 28-17 victory over England.

Former Springbok scrumhalf François Hougaard, who made his Sevens debut in Dubai, grabbed the extra-time try to end the weekend on a positive note.

Fiji, though, will now head to Cape Town for the second leg of the series as overwhelming favourites as they laid down an early marker in the opening leg of the season that culminates with the sport’s debut at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next August.

Losing 21-19 to the fastimproving USA relegated South Africa to the secondary Plate competition after they produced three dominating performances on day one.

Pool wins over Samoa (33-7), Russia (45-0) and Scotland (26-12) set the Blitzbokke up for a clash with the USA in the last eight, and if there were any complacency in the Blitzbok camp before the tournament, it will be now be gone, as they mull over their quarterfinal loss before their home tournament.

America only made it into the Cup quarterfinals thanks to a dramatic 14-12 win over New Zealand in their pool match and they continued the giant-killing against SA.

The Blitzbokke ran into a 19-7 lead in the quarterfinal and looked set to cruise into the semis. But a yellow card for wing Seabelo Senatla, who tackled an opponent in the air, gave the USA a way back in to the match. And they took it with two late tries to seal victory — the winner going to speedster Carlin Isles.

SA returned to winning ways with a 26-5 win over Argentina in the Plate semifinal, before sealing a tight win against Australia to take 13 points from the tournament.

Fiji’s 22-point haul for winning put them top of the log, with England claiming 19 points for coming second.

The USA showed that on early form they will be a factor at the Olympics by beating New Zealand for a second time in two days with a resounding 31-12 win in the third/fourth play-off.

New Zealand were reduced to five men at one stage, with two players in the sin bin.