July 27, (THEWILL) – South Africa’s Springbok Sevens team clinched the bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics, defeating Australia 26-19 in a thrilling match on Saturday.
The victory marked South Africa’s first medal of the 2024 Games. The Blitzboks overcame early tournament losses to Ireland and New Zealand, narrowly qualifying for the quarter-finals. They then stunned New Zealand before falling to hosts France in the semi-finals.
In the bronze medal match, South Africa capitalised on Australia playing with six men after captain Nic Malouf received a red card for a high tackle. The Blitzboks built a 19-7 lead, but Australia fought back to level the scores at 19-19 in the final minute.
Selvyn Davids made a crucial break in the dying seconds, passing to Shaun Williams who scored the winning try. The victory was especially significant given South Africa’s struggles earlier in the season, finishing seventh in the World Series and requiring qualification through a repechage tournament.
Coach Philip Snyman was visibly emotional as his team celebrated their podium finish. The bronze medal represents a remarkable turnaround for the Blitzboks, who faced criticism earlier in the year but redeemed themselves on the Olympic stage.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
