Blitzboks produce the upset of the Olympics, ousting All Blacks in dramatic fashion

 

 

The Springbok Sevens side produced the upset of the Olympic Games tournament as they gave their heart and soul for a 14-7 win over top seeded New Zealand on Thursday night to book their place in the semifinals.

The difference in the side from 24 hours earlier, when the Kiwis beat them in a pool game 17-5 and dominated proceedings was not just chalk and cheese, it was astounding.

The Blitzboks that found their way to Stade de France on Thursday night were a different beast, a different animal, and they defended as if their lives depended on it.

What is it with playoff games and the Stade de France and the Springboks of all shapes and sizes? Somehow it brings the best out of players and brings hope when there is none.

As the fifteens side proved, they are the chasers of lost causes, the Blitzboks joined them to resurrect themselves from an early ticket home to now being in the running for a medal.

But to do it, they will again have to do it the hard way.

As they left the field, they were booed by the French crowd in a reminder that last year’s fifteens World Cup victory by the Boks over Les Bleus has not been forgotten.

And they will face Antoine Dupont’s French team in the semifinal in a match that they will be heavy underdogs in. For them to get a medal, they will need to rise again to the heights they did on Thursday night and some more. It won’t be easy at all.

Of course, nothing says the spirit of the Olympics like the French fans booing their opposition, and Dupont scored the final try in a 26-14 win over Argentina to book their place in the semis, much to the delight of the fans.

Still, this performance on Thursday night was something that coach Philip Snyman was looking for throughout the tournament, and now the challenge is to see that it isn’t the last for Paris 2024.

It was Selvyn Davids who opened the scoring early on as New Zealand – whose passes stuck in every phase on Wednesday – suddenly had butterfingers on Thursday.

One of those fluffed offloads led to Davids booting the ball downfield and grubbering on, collecting and popping the ball up to Tristan Leyds, who put them 14-0 ahead.

New Zealand were always going to come back at them and it wasn’t a surprise when speedster Leo Moses burnt Rosko Specman on the outside to get them on the board.

At halftime it was 14-7 and the tension was in overdrive.

Then came the second half and the Kiwi onslaught. The Blitzboks had little ball, but they found ways to stop New Zealand. At one point they defended for eight phases on their own tryline, forcing a crucial knock on, and even in the final play as New Zealand desperately attacked, it was Shilton van Wyk who intercepted and passed the ball to Tiaan Pretorius to hoof the ball out.

France will pose a massive challenge on Saturday for the Blitzboks, but unlike New Zealand they will still have a chance. Overcoming 68 000 fans in a deafening stadium that has already crowned the home side champions will not be easy, but heart, determination and passion was what got them through against New Zealand.