The Springbok Sevens have qualified for the HSBC SVNS Cape Town final at 16h43 on Sunday afternoon after they outlasted France in the first semi-final at DHL Stadium.
The Blitzboks, who will face Argentina in the final, outscored France by four tries to three for a 22-17 victory in a match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout.
Shilton van Wyk carried on where he left off on Saturday and scored the first of his two tries as the Blitzboks managed their possession from the kickoff before sending the speedster away on the left in the first minute.
Tristan Leyds showed some individual brilliance a few minutes later for the second try after France were penalised for going off their feet at a ruck. The Blitzbok playmaker took a quick tap and cantered over for the try to push South Africa into a 10-0 lead.
With two minutes left in the first half, France had an attacking lineout and after spreading the ball wide with the odd slick pass, Jordan Sepho scored in the left corner, but from the restart, the ball bounced into the hands of Van Wyk with no one in front of him and he raced away for a 60m try, with Ricardo Duarttee's conversion making it 17-5.
Unfortunately for the Blitzboks, Josselin Bouhier scored for France from the restart after working their way upfield from deep in their own half. The successful conversion made it a five-point game at the break.
France levelled the scores from the restart as Bouhier scored a similar try to Van Wyk's second, with the ball bouncing right for the speedster who raced away for the points.
But the last say belonged to the Blitzboks, who kept piling on the pressure in spite of a few penalties going against them, with Ryan Oosthuizen the man to do the damage from a turnover in the French 22.
France had one last opportunity with a free kick from the middle of the field after the Blitzboks took too long with the restart, but the South Africans' defence held firm, and they booked their spot in the final.
Scorers:
Springbok Sevens 22 (17) France 17 (12)
Blitzboks: Tries: Shilton van Wyk (2), Tristan Leyds, Ryan Oosthuizen. Conversion: Ricardo Duarttee.
France: Tries: Jordan Sepho, Josselin Bouhier (2). Conversion: Stephen Parez Edo Martin.