CAPE Town – The Blitzboks were knocked out of Cup contention when they lost to Fiji in the semi-final of the Cape Town leg of the World Sevens Series on Sunday.
The Blitzboks - who lost Muller du Plessis and skipper Philip Snyman to injury on day one - looked threatening on attack with their probing runs right from the start, and they struck first with an early try by Siviwe Soyizwapi after Rosko Specman did well to attack the line and create space.
Fiji responded with two first-half run-ins by Vilimoni Botitu and Waisea Nacuqu, which gave the Islanders a 12-5 lead at the break.
Werner Kok in action for the Blitzboks on Sunday. Photo: Phandulwazi Jikelo/ANA Pictures
In the build-up to Nacuqu's try, a knock-on by the Blitzboks followed up with strong set-piece attack by Fiji and a missed tackle by Neil Powell's men helped the Fijians get their second.
Rosko Specman got things started for the tournament hosts in the second stanza when he broke away to score, tying the scores at 12-all, but the Fijians had the final say when they added five more points to the scoresheet with less than a minute to play.
Try by @specmagic and scores are tied 12-12 pic.twitter.com/TsvynGfHc4
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) December 9, 2018
The Springbok Sevens side will face New Zealand at 7.18pm in the Cup third-place playoff.
Full-time score:
South Africa 12
Fiji 17
Point scorers:
South Africa
Tries: Siviwe Soyizwapi, Rosko Specman
Conversions: Justin Geduld
Fiji
Tries: Vilimoni Botitu, Waisea Nacuqu, Alosio Sovita Naduva
Conversion: Nacuqu