South Africa 7s have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after defeating Great Britain 14-5 in the final held at Stade Louis II in Monaco.
The Blitzboks found themselves in the Repechage following a dismal run in 2023, which saw them miss direct qualification from the series and later lose to Kenya 7s in the 2023 Africa Men’s 7s in Zimbabwe.
South Africa 7s lead
South Africa held onto possession early in the match, and after entering Great Britain’s 22, Skipper Selvyn Davids executed a timely kick pass that found an unmarked Quewin Nortje on the left, who scored the fifth try of the weekend. Tristan Leyds converted for a 7-0 lead in the second minute.
Great Britain fought back strongly, scoring their first try through Robbie Fergusson just before the break, although their conversion attempt was off target.
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From the restart, Great Britain’s efforts to keep the ball alive in the last seconds of the first half saw the ball land into Davids’s hands. Quick hands allowed him to release Shilton van Wyk, who raced clear to score a try that was converted, extending the lead to 14-5.
In the second half, South Africa’s resolute defence kept Great Britain at bay, securing their place in the Olympics.
In the men’s Olympic event, hosts France are joined by New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji, and Australia, who secured their spots by ranking in the top four positions of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023. These teams will be joined by regional qualifiers Uruguay (South America), Ireland (Europe), USA (North America), Kenya (Africa), Samoa (Oceania), and Japan (Asia) and now SA from repechage.
The women’s Olympic lineup includes New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, and the USA as the top four qualifiers through the 2023 World Series, along with hosts France. They have been joined by regional qualifiers Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, Fiji, and Japan.
Paris 2024 will mark rugby sevens’ third appearance at the Olympic Games. The sport is anticipated to be one of the most exciting events following the success of the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. Fiji’s men have dominated the Olympic competition with gold medals in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. New Zealand are the reigning women’s Olympic champions, while Australia won the inaugural women’s Olympic gold medal in Rio.
