Durban - The Blitzboks bowed out of the Los Angles Sevens in miserable fashion on Sunday evening when Wales beat them 10-5 in a playoff for ninth place.
Wales had only beaten the South Africans once before in the history of the World Series. In Neil Powell’s final Series tournament before the World Cup in Cape Town in two weeks' time, his charges could only win one match over the weekend, a narrow 24-19 defeat of Canada. Their other losses were to the USA and New Zealand.
In mitigation, Powell’s resources were depleted by injury both before and during the tournament, with Darren Adonis the latest casualty when he had to be carted off the field four minutes from the end of the defeat to Wales.
Earlier in Los Angeles, Dewald Human and Zain Davids also suffered serious injuries.
Morgan Williams 🤝 Luke Treharne
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) August 28, 2022
What a combination for @WelshRugbyUnion 👏#HSBC7s | #LA7s pic.twitter.com/HHKkOaapDu
The South Africans started their match against Wales in a calamitous fashion when they knocked on from the kick-off and Wales scooped up the ball and scored, with barely 20 seconds lapsed in the game.
The Boks were simply not at the races in this game or in any in the tournament for that matter and that was underlined by repeated missed tackles, with defence something the South African usually pride themselves on.
Clearly this weekend they had one eye on the approaching World Cup and if they win that, all will be forgiven for a despairing weekend in California.
IOL Sport