South Africa’s men’s sevens team pulled off one of the most dramatic turnarounds at the Hong Kong Sevens, snatching a 26-22 quarterfinal victory against Kenya in the dying moments of the match. It was the kind of result that reminds us why we love rugby — the sheer unpredictability, the raw courage, and the refusal to accept defeat when everything suggests the game is lost.
Going into the final moments, Kenya had complete control of the encounter. The Shujaa led 22-14 with less than two minutes remaining, having dominated vast stretches of the game and looked, for all intents and purposes, like they were heading to the semifinal. But the Blitzboks had other plans, and their response demonstrated exactly why they remain one of the world’s most dangerous sevens sides when the pressure is on.
The tournament has historically been something of a nemesis for South Africa’s squad. They’ve never won the Hong Kong Sevens title, and remarkably, they’d lost their last four consecutive quarterfinals in this city. Coach Philip Snyman came into the weekend promising to break that curse, and while it was almost inconceivably close, that hex appears to be broken. The circumstances of this victory will certainly give the squad tremendous confidence heading into their next challenge.
What turned the game around was Snyman’s tactical substitutions in the closing moments. Shakes Soyizwapi, making his return to the tournament after an absence that spans a full decade, came on and made an immediate impact. More significantly, Quewin Nortje, the speedy winger who had missed the entire World SVNS Series through injury, entered the fray and changed the entire complexion of the match. In the space of 90 seconds, the South Africans scored twice to steal a game that appeared completely beyond their reach.
The match itself had been a fascinating contest from start to finish, showcasing the quality that Kenya brings to international sevens rugby. Selvyn Davids had given South Africa an early lead with a try just two minutes in, slipping through the Kenyan defence from the back of a scrum. But Kenya responded with two expertly crafted tries through John Ohoth Okeyo and Denis Abukuse, turning the match on its head and suggesting they might finally exorcise some demons against their South African counterparts.
Hong Kong Sevens drama unfolds as Springboks edge Kenya in thrilling encounter
The first half contained several crucial turning points. Vincent Onyala Owino received a yellow card just before the interval, and South Africa immediately capitalised on the numerical advantage when Donavan Don scored out wide to reclaim the lead. But Kenya’s dominance became increasingly apparent through the second half, particularly when Kevin Wekesa Nyongesa powered through the South African defence to extend their advantage, and Festus Shiasi crossed the line to give them an eight-point buffer.
At that point, with Davids also receiving a yellow card, Kenya looked genuinely like they would complete the job. But this is where the Blitzboks’ famous resilience kicked in. Nortje produced a piece of individual brilliance, spotting space behind the Kenyan line and executing a perfectly weighted chip kick before racing through to collect and score one of the tries of the tournament. Suddenly, it was a one-point game, and momentum had shifted dramatically in South Africa’s direction.
The decisive moment came shortly after when the Blitzboks won the kickoff and subsequently earned a penalty at the breakdown. With Kenya under pressure, Soyizwapi eventually got his hands on the ball and dotted down to spark scenes of wild celebration on the South African bench. It was the stuff that sports dreams are made of — a comeback so improbable that it will be replayed in highlight reels for years to come.
This victory also serves as a poignant reminder of the loss to international sevens when World Rugby made the controversial decision to limit the SVNS circuit to just eight teams. Kenya, one of Africa’s most talented sevens outfits, was excluded from that competition, and moments like this underscore exactly how much the global game misses their presence and competitive edge.
The Blitzboks now advance to face New Zealand in Sunday’s semifinal, with that match scheduled for 8am CAT (GMT+2). The winner of that encounter will face the champion of the other semifinal, with the final set for 1.14pm. Winning the Hong Kong Sevens title has eluded South Africa for years, but this group has shown they possess both the skill and the character to end that drought.
On the women’s side, our national team suffered disappointment in their ninth-place semifinal. The Springbok Women’s Sevens went down 19-14 to Great Britain, despite having beaten the same opposition in their pool stage. They’ll now face Argentina at 4.46am in the playoff for the 11th spot, a chance to salvage some pride from what has been a challenging tournament for the squad.