2022 Commonwealth Games: Ruthless Blitzboks Defeat Rivals Fiji for South Africa Men's 7s Rugby Gold Medal

2022 Commonwealth Games: Ruthless Blitzboks Defeat Rivals Fiji for South Africa Men's 7s Rugby Gold Medal

Keba Mothoagae
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:08 PM
  • South Africa claimed its fourth gold medal of the 2022 Commonwealth Games out in Birmingham
  • The Blitzboks overpowered feared rivals Fiji 31-7 in the final of the men's 7s rugby tournament at the Coventry Stadium
  • This ensured that they won their second ever gold medal in the event, having done so in 2014

A 7s rugby masterclass by the Blitzboks saw them claim gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as they swept aside the usually Fiji 31-7 in a one-sided final.

It is rare that the all-conquering Olympic champions from the Pacific are thoroughly outclassed as they were at the Coventry Stadium, but this was a clinic during which South Africa didn’t allow the South Sea magicians any breathing room and ensured they took the flair and magic out of the contest to claim a magnificent gold.

south africa, blitzboks, springboks, commonwealth games, 2022, fiji, coventry stadium
South Africa was too hot for Fiji in the men's 7s rugby final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birminham. Image source: @Blitzboks.
Source: Twitter

With this convincing win the Blitzboks repeated their Commonwealth triumph in Glasgow in 2014, and gave themselves a boost ahead of the World Cup at home in September.

This was no mean feat considering they lost the services of captain Siviwe Soyizwapi and playmaker Ronald Brown to injury before the final.

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Tries by Muller du Plessis in both halves were crucial in the victory as the Blitzboks smothered the Fijian attack and allowed them no room to attack.

Their work at the breakdown was crucial with several turnovers turning the game in their favour as the Pacific Islanders struggled to contain the physicality of the Blitzboks on the park.

Du Plessis started the rout with a try out wide in the second minute, and JC Pretorius, who was a monster in terms of physicality, matched it by disrupting the Fijians, turning over a ball and running in the second try to put the Blitzboks 12-0 up.

Shaun Williams scored before the break to send the South Africans into a 17-0 halftime lead.

Du Plessis added a second early in the second half before Fiji finally found some space and became the first team this weekend to score in the second half against Neil Powell’s side as Waisea Nacuqu went over to give them hope.

But that hope was snuffed out as Mfundo Ndhlovu handed off a defender to score the crucial try to seal the game and give the Blitzboks a famous victory and a gold medal to boot.

Tatjana Schoenmaker wins Commonwealth Games gold in 200m breaststroke event as Kaylene Corbett grabs bronze

South Africa has its third gold medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Golden girl Tatjana Schoenmaker grabbed the gold as she dominated the Women’s 200m Breaststroke event.

As reported by Sports Brief, the Olympic champion led from start to finish as she finished ahead of Australia’s Jenna Strauch.

South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett finished in third place as South Africa won gold and bronze in the race.

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Keba Mothoagae
Editor- Local Desk
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