HSBC SVNS: Brilliant Fijians fly into Cape Town semi-finals

Dubai champions Fiji will meet France in Sunday’s second semi-final – a repeat of last weekend’s thrilling last eight meeting, and a second rerun of the Olympic final in as many weeks – after both sides finished day one in Cape Town unbeaten.

But the eyes of fans at Cape Town will be on the first last-four match, as host nation South Africa – who missed out on a fifth title in a row in the desert – take on Spain. The Spanish proved their run to the final last weekend was no fluke with two impressive wins in Pool B.

POOL A: Fiji force their way to the final four

A thrilling Pool A decider threatened to turn on tries from Harry Glover and Ethan Waddleton in two second-half minutes, as Great Britain came back from 10-0 down against Dubai champions Fiji to lead 12-10. But Terio Veilawa crashed over with just over a minute left on the clock to take the score to 17-12. It was enough to see the Flying Fijians through to the last four at the end of a thrilling and hard-fought match.

The Flying Fijians had made no mistake on their first outing in Cape Town earlier in the day, with a 10-try 70-7 victory over a Uruguay side that never gave up the chase, despite the scoreline.

Will Homer and Charlton Kerr scored two apiece as Great Britain then beat Uruguay 33-15 – but they were made to work for their win as the South Americans pulled back to within a score as Mateo Vinals scored twice in two minutes early in the second half, before last week’s eighth-placed side eased away.

POOL B: Spain double down on Dubai form with Cape Town semi-final run

Dubai finalists Spain secured a second semi-final berth for the second week running with a thoroughly impressive and enjoyable 19-14 win over Australia in the deciding match of a tight Pool B.

The legendary Pol Pla got Spain moving after Henry Paterson had opened the scoring for Australia. But it was Anton Legorburu Anso who bagged the decisive score – racing clear from deep inside his own half, after Spain had played with fire in the shadow of their own posts at the end of the opening period. James McGregor’s first try for Australia after the hooter was only ever going to be a consolation.

Jeremy Trevithick’s 13th-minute score had earlier settled affairs as Spain were made to work for their 14-7 win over Kenya at the end of a thrilling, end-to-end encounter that had both sides throwing everything at their opponents. 

After beating Ireland and South Africa in Dubai, promoted side Kenya got the jump on Pool B with another massive shock, coming back from 12-0 down to beat Australia 19-12.

POOL C: South Africa through as Ireland suffer

South Africa sent a raucous and passionate crowd at Cape Town into raptures with a 29-5 win over Argentina in the last match of the first day at the DHL Stadium to set up a Sunday semi-final against Spain.

Ricardo Duarttee scored two, and Dewald Human added one more as the Blitzboks took a 15-0 lead at the break. Matías Osadczuk got one back for Argentina, but it came too late to keep alive their dreams of improving on their third place finish in Dubai as Shilton van Wyk took South Africa out of reach, finishing a tremendous team try in the corner. Shaun Williams then had the final word with a try after the hooter.

Harry McNulty, originally due to be on media duties in Cape Town, put his recent retirement on temporary hold to answer an emergency call from an illness-hit Ireland squad. But his return to action didn’t go quite as planned, as Brilliant Blitzboks got the Cape Town crowd cheering early, with a comfortable 34-7 win over Ireland – thanks to braces from Quewin Nortje and Impi Visser. 

With only nine fit players at the start of the day Ireland’s illness and injury crisis got worse as Jordan Conroy limped off in the 29-7 loss to Argentina in their second outing of the day, leaving them potentially with just seven available players for day two at the DHL. 

POOL D: Confident France break New Zealand Cape Town hoodoo

Olympic champions France laid on an attacking masterclass as twisted a fatigued New Zealand’s defence out of shape time and again in the first half of the two side’s Pool D decider. 

Five different French players touched down as they raced into a 33-7 lead at the break, en route to a thoroughly impressive 47-15 win, their biggest-ever over the All Blacks Sevens and their first in Cape Town. 

It was a difficult day for New Zealand – the most successful side in Cape Town tournament history – who had come back from 10-0 down to beat USA 19-17 earlier, despite only having nine players available because of illness. 

Les Bleus had laid down an earlier marker with an eight-try 50-12 win over an injury-depleted USA, who have yet to win on the tour.