Selvyn Davids scored a try after the buzzer to ensure the Springbok Sevens team won their fifth consecutive HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament – and their third of the 2022 season – when they beat Argentina by 24-17 in Malaga on Sunday.
The victory also extended the Blitzboks’ lead on the overall log for the season and they will enter next weekend's HSBC Spain Sevens event in Seville as first seeds and on a 29-match winning streak.
To get their hands on the inaugural Malaga trophy was hard work though, as the final was a tense affair, with South Africa required to come from behind twice, scoring the match winner deep in overtime in the second half.
Argentina started very well and a slip up in defence saw the South African line breached for only the second time in five matches in Spain. Rodrigo Isgro found the open space to his liking and dotted down after a minute, but the conversion went wide.
It took the Blitzboks all of six more minutes to draw level and then take the lead at the break. Selvyn Davids scored the opener, with the playmaker exploiting space after a quick tap, and Branco du Preez’s conversion put South Africa in front at the break by 7-5.
The second half started well for the Blitzboks. Zain Davids created a brilliant turnover and JC Pretorius was over the line in a flash. The conversion went wide, but the lead was 12-5, meaning that Argentina needed two scores to regain the lead.
It took them only a minute to do that.
Joaquin de la Vega scored and from the resulting restart, gathered the ball to score his second try, which suddenly handed the Pumas a 17-12 lead with three minutes to play.
The replacements again came through for the Blitzboks though and from sustained pressure, Justin Geduld dotted down in the corner to draw scores level again at 17-17 with 30 seconds left on the clock.
A final push by South Africa saw Selvyn Davids racing through to score the match and tournament winning try two minutes after the final buzzer. Justin Geduld kicked the conversion for good measure.
Earlier on Sunday, they outplayed Australia 19-0 in their semi-final to reach the final in Malaga.
Scorers:
South Africa 24 (7) – Tries: Selvyn Davids (2), JC Pretorius, Justin Geduld. Conversions: Branco du Preez, Justin Geduld.
Argentina 17 (5) – Tries: Rodrigo Isgro, Joaquin de la Vega (2). Conversion: Felipe Del Mestre.