South Africa had to come from behind to beat Scotland 27-7 on day one of the Malaga legs of World Rugby’s Sevens Series.
The Blitzboks who are the overwhelming favourites to win the tournament, outscored their opponents by five tries to one. Their next match is against England on Saturday.
If they finish top of the group, South Africa will then face the team that finishes second in Pool B in the quarter-finals. The final of the Malaga Sevens will be played on Sunday evening.
The Blitzboks are aiming to maintain the recent form they showed in Dubai where they won the first two events. The team was strengthened by the return of playmakers, Justin Geduld and Dewald Human, who both missed the Dubai tournaments.
Team captain Siviwe Soyizwapi achieved a big landmark, playing in his 35th World Series tournament. Soyizwapi joined the likes of Cecil Afrika, Seabelo Senatla, and Geduld to achieve this feat. Only 13 of 183 Blitzboks players have achieved this landmark.
South Africa went into this match with a good head-to-head record against Scotland having won their last five encounters. Scotland who matched the strength of the Blitzboks in the opening minutes, took everyone by surprise when they took an early lead through Paddy Kelly.
The Scots enjoyed a slender 7-nil lead at the break. It was a game of two halves with the Blitzboks managing to bounce back in the second half. Their first try of the match came from Zane Davids in the opening minute of the second half.
It did not take long for Selwyn Davids to give South Africa the much-needed lead. Davids scored another try to stretch South Africa’s lead to 17-7. Then Soyizwapi led from the front, scoring the fourth try for the Blitzboks.
But there was a big scare for Neil Powell and his bench when his captain injured himself in the process of scoring the try, but fortunately, he managed to continue with the match.
South Africa were not done yet with Christie Grobbelaar going over to make it 27-7. Following the withdrawal of Fiji from Pool A due to players and members of management testing positive for COVID-19, the Blitzboks played only one match and will next face England in their last Pool match on Saturday.
