The victory underlined their dominance at the Sevens Stadium, where the South Africans maintained an undefeated status by winning all five of their matches over the weekend.
The Springbok Women's Sevens were crowned champions of the inaugural HSBC SVNS 3 tournament in Dubai on Sunday after defeating Argentina 12–5 in a tightly contested final.
The victory underlined their dominance at the Sevens Stadium, where the South Africans maintained an undefeated status by winning all five of their matches over the weekend.
PATH TO QUALIFICATION
Beyond the silverware, the team's semi-final victory over Poland earlier on Sunday secured their qualification for the HSBC SVNS 2 series. This upcoming series will feature tournaments in:
Nairobi: 14–15 February
Montevideo: 21–22 March
Sao Paulo: 28–29 March
FINAL STAND: SOUTH AFRICA VS. ARGENTINA
South Africa endured a slow start in the final against Argentina. While their defence remained resolute in the early stages, the attack struggled to find its rhythm, failing to convert several created opportunities. Argentina took advantage of the stalemate, scoring the only try of the first half to lead 5–0 at the break.
The second half remained an "arm wrestle," but the South African offence eventually broke through. Zintle Mpupha levelled the scores at 5–5 with a try three minutes from time. Patience Mokone then crossed the line with a minute remaining, and a successful conversion by Nadine Roos sealed the win. The team was forced to defend one final, desperate Argentinian surge before the whistle confirmed their championship status.
SEMI-FINAL SURGE AGAINST POLAND
The road to the final also began slowly. In the semi-final against Poland, Nadine Roos opened the scoring following a powerful scrum, but a lapse in concentration at a ruck allowed Poland’s Martyna Wardaszka to equalise.
However, momentum shifted back to the Bok Women following a try by Tshiremba, leading to a 12–5 advantage at halftime. The second half was a clinical display of dominance as South Africa found space on the edges. Tshiremba, Ayanda Malinga, and Patience Mokone all added to the tally, while Mpupha closed the match with a final try following a quick penalty.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
