By Canadian Press

South Africa scores 29 straight points in beating Canada at HSBC New Zealand Sevens

Jan 20, 2023 | 1:06 PM

HAMILTON, New Zealand — Canada’s men had a rough start at the HSBC New Zealand Sevens on Friday, beaten 34-5 by South Africa with Shilton van Wyk scoring three tries for the Blitzboks.

South Africa recorded 29 straight points en route to the win.

South Africa arrived in New Zealand second in the overall standings after three events on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series compared to 13th for Canada, which faced No. 8 Argentina and No. 12 Spain later Friday in Pool D play.

Selvyn Davids, Christie Grobbelaar and Shaun Williams also scored tries for South Africa, which led 19-5 at the half. Ricardo Duartte kicked two conversions.

Captain Phil Berna scored Canada’s lone try.

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The ninth-ranked Canadian women face No. 1 Australia, No. 4 France and No. 10 Japan in Pool B play in New Zealand.

South Africa struck early after Canada was penalized at the breakdown following the opening kickoff. The Blitzboks opted for a scrum and van Wyk raced down the blindside for the try.

Canada responded with a fine team try set up by a linebreak from Matt Oworu, who fed Thomas Isherwood to keep the play alive. Berna capped off the stylish attack to tie it at 5-5.

It was all South Africa after that. Davids put the Blitzboks back in the lead, sidestepping Josiah Morra for a solo try and a 12-5 lead. An errant pass by Brock Webster near the Canadian try-line set up South Africa’s next try by van Wyk.

Van Wyk struck again on the opening kickoff of the second half. A Canadian player rose high to try to win the restart but the ball instead went to Van Wyk and the South Africa speedster raced down the wing to up the lead to 24-5.

Grobbelaar scored on an overlap after a Canadian handling error for a 29-5 lead. It was more of the same on the other wing as Williams scored after pressure at the scrum led to a Canadian turnover.

South Africa’s Siviwe Soyizwapi was sin-binned in the final minute for a dangerous tackle. Canada was unable to convert with the man-advantage, however, and the game ended on another Canadian handling error.

The Canadian men finished 14th in both Dubai and Cape Town after opening the season with a 10th-place showing in Hong Kong. After losing to Fiji in the Hong Kong quarterfinals, South Africa won in Dubai and finished fourth in Cape Town.

Canada is looking to escape the relegation zone under the World Series’ new format in the 11-stop 2023 season.

The 15th-ranked core team following the 10th round in Toulouse in May will be relegated. The teams ranked 12th, 13th and 14th at the end of the Toulouse event will take part in  a four-team relegation playoff together with the 2023 Challenger Series winner in the final stop of the season in London.

The relegation playoff will be round-robin format with the top two teams then playing a final. The winner will become the 12th core team on the 2024 Series, while the other three teams will enter their respective Regional Sevens Championships in order to qualify for the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.

Injuries prompted Canada women’s coach Jack Hanratty to call in reinforcements for the New Zealand tournament. Canada was reduced to eight players on the final day of play last month at the South Africa Sevens where it finished eighth.

Julia Greenshields, Breanne Nicholas, Florence Symonds and Keyara Wardley, all injured in South Africa, missed out on the trip to New Zealand.

Australia won the opening event of the season in Dubai and was runner-up to New Zealand in South Africa.

Maddy Grant and Alysha Corrigan make the transition from the 15s national team. Pamphinette Buisa, part of the Canadian Olympic sevens squad in Tokyo, and Chloe Daniels return to the sevens roster.

Buisa and Daniels were also part of the Canadian 15s team at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where Canada finished fourth in November.

After New Zealand, the Canadian men and women head to Australia for the Jan. 27-29 HSBC Sydney Sevens.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2023.

The Canadian Press