Fiji were edged out in a nail-biting Cup final in Perth on Sunday, going down 21–19 to South Africa as the Blitzboks sealed their second title of the season.
Coach Philip Snyman’s South Africa Sevens side struck early, racing to a 14–0 lead inside four minutes through tries to Ryan Oosthuizen and Sebastian Jobb, both coming off turnovers and sharp counter-attacking play.
But Fiji showed trademark resilience. Tries from Vuiviawa Naduvalo and captain Jerry Matana hauled Fiji Sevens back into the contest, trailing just 14–12 at the break as South Africa’s defence came under pressure.
Fiji seized the momentum soon after halftime when Terio Veilawa crossed to put them 19–14 ahead. However, the turning point came a minute later when Oosthuizen powered in for his second try, and Ricardo Duarttee’s difficult sideline conversion proved decisive.
South Africa converted all three of their tries, while Fiji managed two conversions from three scores — a slim margin that ultimately separated the teams.
The Perth triumph was the Blitzboks’ first Cup final win in Australia since 2017, adding to their Cape Town Sevens success in December.
Fiji will look to bounce back when the HSBC SVNS Series resumes in Vancouver on March 7–8.
