South Africa captain Impi Visser celebrated his 50th HSBC Sevens tournament but it was Southern Hemisphere rivals Australia who topped Pool A after beating the Blitzboks in the final game on the opening day of the HSBC SVNS in New York.
Visser’s team, who are vying with Fiji to secure the HSBC Sevens regular-season title this weekend, will face Argentina in the semi-final tomorrow while Australia face Fiji in the other semi-final.
South Africa claimed wins over New Zealand and France but lost their Pool A decider to Australia while Los Pumas beat Fiji and Spain before losing to Great Britain.
Australia beat France and New Zealand and then brought the curtain down on day one of the men’s tournament by edging out the Blitzboks 19-12 in a thrilling Southern Hemisphere battle.
Victorious captain Henry Hutchison said: “I’m happy and really proud of the way we won these three games.
“The boys showed a lot of physicality and grit, so we’re in a good place. Tomorrow [against Fiji] is a fantastic opportunity to go again.”
POOL A: Australia claim top spot after edging out Blitzboks
In the first match of Pool A, Australia registered a 24-0 win over France with tries from Aden Ekanayake, James Turner, Dietrich Roache and Archer Saunders.
Australia’s players wore black armbands as a tribute to Ben Dalton’s grandfather, who died earlier in the week.
South Africa, looking to win the regular season title in New York this weekend, were 22-7 winners over New Zealand and were led out by captain Impi Visser on his 50th HSBC Sevens event.
It was a proud moment for Visser, who made his debut in Dubai in 2018, and his team-mates ensured he celebrated in style as Selvyn Davids, Sebastiaan Jobb (2) and Grant de Jager touched down before Brady Rush replied for New Zealand.
The Blitzbox, three-time winners this season and top of the standings coming into the final event of the regular season and looking to win that regular-season title in a two-horse race with Fiji this weekend.
South Africa have won six all-time USA Sevens titles, the most of any nation and De Jager maiden try for his country saw him mobbed by his team-mates.
Ilona Maher was among the crowd as Australia made it two wins from two after edging out old adversaries New Zealand 12-7.
Maher, who won bronze with the United States in rugby sevens at the 2024 Paris Olympics, watched on as Dietrich Roache scored twice for Australia before Kitiona Vai’s reply for the All Blacks Sevens.
South Africa then claimed their second win of the day after beating France 12-5 with tries from Tristan Leyds and Ronald Brown, who scored either side of Celian Pouzelgues' touchdown.
In the final Pool A game, New Zealand got their first win of the day after edging out France 26-24.
Bradley Tocker (two), Sam Clarke and Riley Williams scored for the All Black Sevens with Yerim Fall, Simon Desert, Liam Delamare and Maxim Granell touching down for France.
In the Southern Hemisphere battle to decide Pool A, South Africa and Australia served up a stirring contest which the Australians won 19-12.
James Turner and Ben Dalton scored for Australia before Selvyn Davids replied with his 100th Sevens try for the Blitzboks and then his 101st to level matters at 12-12 before Jayden Blake won it for Australia.
POOL B: Los Pumas left tasting rarefied air at the summit
The day’s action began with a resounding 31-12 victory for Argentina over Fiji in Pool B.
Marcos Moneta and Santino Zangara both scored twice and Juan Patricio Batac was also on target, with Terio Veilawa and George Bose replying for Fiji.
In the second match of Pool B, Spain beat Great Britain 24-14 with tries from Pol Pla, Josep Serres and a brace from Anton Legorburu Anso, with Charlton Kerr and Marcus Kershaw replying for Great Britain.
Viwa Naduvalo scored a clinical double as Fiji edged out 24-19 in an exhilarating Pool B encounter.
Both sides contributed to a thrilling clash with George Bose and Nacani Boginisoko also notching for Fiji and Charlton Kerr, Marcus Kershaw and Finley Lloyd-Gilmour touching down for Great Britain.
The next Pool B clash was even more dramatic as Argentina edged out Spain 27-26 after scoring four unanswered second-half to overturn a 26-7 interval deficit.
Tiago Romero grabbed a brace and Eduardo Lopez and Pol Pla also scored for the Spanish.
But tries from Luciano Gonzalez, Santiago Vera Feld, Matteo Graziano, Juan Patricio Batac and Sebastian Dubuc gave Argentina a classic victory.
Great Britain’s showdown with Argentina was another entertaining affair with Finley Lloyd-Gilmour scoring twice early on before Sebastian Dubuc replied for Los Pumas.
Matteo Graziano claimed a second try for Argentina but Joshua Radcliffe scored moments later to seal victory for Argentina.
Fiji needed to beat Spain to prevent South Africa claiming the Series championship and they claimed an emphatic 43-12 victory.
Douglas Daveta (three), Jeremaia Matana, Sevuloni Mocenacagi, Joseva Talacolo and Terio Veilawa scored for Fiji with Eduardo Lopez and Asier Perez replying for Spain.