Improved Springbok Women’s Sevens suffer agonising loss

The Springbok Women’s Sevens team fought valiantly in their final pool match at the Cape Town Sevens, but ultimately went on to suffer a 17-14 defeat against Spain.

Rights Mkhari scored twice for the Springbok Women’s Sevens side as they came close to recording an elusive win, but in the end Spain snuck through with two tries in the final two minutes.

Moments after Nadine Roos was denied by the TMO, Mkhari got the Springbok Women’s Sevens first try from a turnover on the Spanish tryline.

At that stage, the Bok Women were playing beautifully, but Spain fought their way back into the game and Eva Aguirre Diaz scored the equaliser shortly before the break, at 7-7.

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Mkhari raced away for the second try shortly after the restart, capitalising on a missed tackle before she went over in the left corner. Roos landed a great conversion to hand the local team a 14-7 lead.

This try gave the South Africans a shot of confidence and they attacked with vigour every time they got the ball, but they were robbed of points on a few occasions as the last pass went to ground.

Springbok Women’s Sevens Pool fixtures:

Spain then hit back with their second try when Diaz scored from long range, but the conversion sailed wide to make it 14-12 with two minutes to go.

With less than a minute to go, Marta Cantabrana Gil broke the Bok Women’s hearts with Spain’s third try, from a penalty that could easily have gone the way of South Africa.

Scorers in Springbok Women’s Sevens match at Cape Town Sevens:

Springbok Women’s Sevens — Tries: Rights Mkhari (2). Conversions: Nadine Roos (2).
Spain — Tries: Eva Aguirre Diaz (2), Marta Cantabrana Gil. Conversion: Ingrid Algar.

South African Women’s Sevens squad for Cape Town Sevens:

1. Rights Mkhari (vice-captain) – 1 tournament, 4 matches
2. Asisipho Plaatjies – 1 tournament, 5 matches
3. Kemisetso Baloyi – on debut 
4. Jakkie Cilliers – on debut
5. Marlize de Bruin – on debut
6. Felicia Jacobs – on debut
7. Anacadia Minnaar -1 tournament, 2 matches
8. Aseza Hele – on debut
9. Nadine Roos (captain) – 5 tournaments, 18 matches, 79 points (13 tries, 7 conversions)
10. Snenhlanhla Shozi – 1 tournament, 4 matches
11. Simamkele Namba – on debut
12. Liske Lategan – 2 tournaments, 9 matches, 10 points (2 tries)
13. Lusanda Dumke – 1 tournament, 3 matches

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Springbok Women’s Sevens Pool fixtures: