All Blacks Sevens leave it late in thrilling ‘do-or-die’ clash with Blitzboks; When the All Blacks Sevens and Blitzboks took to the field at Civitas Metropolitano in Madrid on Saturday afternoon, their faces told two different stories. New Zealanders are upbeat and happy, South Africans are visibly disappointed.
It was a must-win for two great rugby rivals and in the end, it was New Zealand who got the job done 33-24.
All Blacks Sevens leave it late in thrilling ‘do-or-die’ clash with Blitzboks.
Both New Zealand and South Africa were defeated in truly heartbreaking circumstances on the first day of the grand final of the SVNS series. The All Blacks sevens was pipped by a final game Fijian conversion and Ireland sunk the Blitzboks with a try on 18 minutes.
But those two defeats set the stage for a blockbuster pool stage clash at SVNS Madrid on day two. And while expectations were high, the clash was more than hyped. There was drama, length-of-the-field tries and everything a fan could ask for.
South Africa went ahead with just over a minute to play when young Rani Nortje crossed for her second try of the competition. Blitzboks fans in the crowd went berserk as the score was awarded after review by the TMO.
There was more drama to come though. clash with Blitzboks.
All Blacks Sevens leave it late in thrilling ‘do-or-die’ clash with Blitzboks.
With their backs up against the ropes and less than a minute to play, the All Blacks sevens needed someone to land that knockout blow. They persevered and it paid off as the clock ticked down to full-time.
To the delight of some fans at the Spanish venue, Moses Leo ran in the match winner.
“Always a class side and it’s do-or-die for both of us, we both suffered tough losses yesterday,” Leo told RugbyPass.
“We knew we were going to play a bit earlier than the final so that was the theme for the rest of the game. All Blacks Sevens leave it late in thrilling ‘do-or-die’ clash with Blitzboks in 2024.
“Final football is a bit earlier than what we are used to but all the better.” clash with Blitzboks.
The All Blacks Sevens, who arrived in Madrid on the back of cup final victories in Hong Kong, China and Singapore, opened the scoring through captain Dylan Collier in the second minute.
South Africa hit back through Kristy Grobbelaar and Quinn Nortz, but the New Zealanders took a slim lead into the break after a penalty try. To add to the drama, the Blitzboks would go down to five men after two yellow cards.
But with two men at a disadvantage, they produced their most stunning effort of the season with captain Selwyn David to claim the award.
Leroy Carter and Nortje traded try-scoring blows that set up a grandstand finish. Enter Moses Leo.
All Blacks Sevens leave it late in thrilling ‘do-or-die’ clash with Blitzboks.
“I heard a few calls and just took pictures in front of me and backed myself up and backed up my speed and backed up my strength,” Leo said. clash with Blitzboks.
“Be patient, stay calm, and don’t be afraid to take opportunities when they come,” he added when asked about the team’s approach at the moment.
“Just trusting in our process and trusting in all the hard work we’ve put in beforehand… I thought we were moving forward.”
Watch all SVNS Madrid action live and free on RugbyPass TV. To watch the Grand Final, register here.
All Blacks Sevens leave it late in thrilling ‘do-or-die’ clash with Blitzboks in 2024.