Cape Town - The Springbok Sevens side set up a titanic Commonwealth Games final in Birmingham against Fiji after defeating Australia 24-12 in the semi-finals on Sunday afternoon.
Australia drew first blood after a couple of mistakes early on by the Blitzboks to gain a 5-0 lead, but hat-trick hero Angelo Davids scored his eighth try of the tournament with two minutes to go in the first half.
Ronald Brown made sure they got maximum points from Davids' score, but the Aussies responded again right under the uprights to regain the lead. Davids, however, wasn't having it and again leveled the scores at 12-12 at the break.
⚡ That's it! The Blitzboks will face Fiji in the final of the @birminghamcg22 later tonight after a great semi-final win over Australia, by 24-12. The gold medal match is scheduled to start at 22h04 (SA time).
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) July 31, 2022
Australia were reduced to six men after a yellow card in the opening half and SA took advantage of their superior personnel numbers when Selvyn Davids charged down a kick in midfield to score and go 19-12 up.
Davids then completed his hat-trick - his second of the weekend - to take the score to 24-12 and clinch the win.
Earlier in the day, Neil Powell's men completely outplayed Canada in the final-four to secure 33-0 victory and set up their meeting with the 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast finalists.
There was never any doubt as to who owned that game, and while the reigning World Series champions were dealt a massive blow when they lost their skipper Siviwe Soyizwapi during their 34-0 thumping of Scotland in their third and final Pool B game on Saturday, it sure didn't stop them from getting the job done.
The gold medal match awaits for South Africa!🏅#B2022 | #HowWeSevens | @Blitzboks pic.twitter.com/W4JdRtLX3y
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) July 31, 2022
Ronald Brown, Christie Grobbelaar and Davids all got in on the scoring to give South Africa a 21-0 lead at half time.
The Blitzboks also went one man down Brown was shown yellow for a dangerous tackle, but Davids continued his hot tournament form with an intercept try from 80m out with only six men on the pitch.
Brown made up for his yellow card by scoring his second try not long after returning to the field in the second half. He pounced on a mistake by Canada - of which there were many thanks to the Blitzboks' heavy defensive pressure.
Mfundo Ndhlovu, who was declared fit after taking a knock to the head on the first day, also got his name on the scoresheet with the last try of the game.
Meanwhile, the Springbok Women’s Sevens will face Sri Lanka at 19h00 on Sunday evening in the seventh-place playoff.
@WynonaLouw