After a relatively modest regular HSBC SVNS Series campaign, Argentina look to be peaking at just the right time.
They reached the final in Hong Kong, where they were beaten by South Africa, and will meet the Blitzboks again in the last four in Valladolid, as they beat New Zealand and France in consecutive outings on day two.
Fiji will take on Australia in the other last-four clash in the men’s competition on the final day of an epic Valladolid weekend.
Quarter-finals: Argentina step up as South Africa fight through
Streetsmart and defensively ferocious Argentina starved France of possession in their quarter-final meeting late on day two in north-west Spain as they avenged their Madrid Grand Final defeat in 2024.
It paid off as they scored three unanswered tries in the first half, and held off a late second-half fightback from Les Bleus to win 21-19.
The South Americans had made certain of top Pool B seeding with a comprehensive 24-0 win over New Zealand in the two sides’ final Pool B match. Marcos Moneta, Luciano Gonzalez, Juan Patricio Batac, and Pedro De Haro scored their tries.
Nelson Epee had been the hero for France in their final pool match as they held on to beat USA 19-14. The Toulouse flier won a try-saving penalty near his own line as Les Bleus booked a last-eight slot.
“The Championship is very close, very difficult with 12 big teams,” relieved France captain Paulin Riva told RugbyPass after that scrappy win. “We are happy to go into the quarter-finals because in Hong Kong it was very difficult for us, so let’s go.”
Maurice Longbottom scored a double, and Ben Dowling added a third as clinical Australia eased past Kenya 21-0 in their quarter-final match-up.
Australia head coach Liam Barry had said before kick-off the best way to beat a South African side who have dominated the season was to starve them of possession. And that’s exactly what his side did as they claimed top spot in Pool A with a 24-14 win, with Harry Wilson, Henry Hutchison, Dowling, and Josh Turner all crossing.
Kenya had reached the last eight after a hard-fought, high-intensity final Pool A match against a gutsy Great Britain, who must be ruing their ill-fortune after another determined performance that wasn’t quite good enough. Festus Shiasi Safari and Patrick Odongo Okong’o scored the crucial tries in a 12-7 win.
After their pool phase surprise, regular season champions South Africa faced hosts – and opening-day conquerors in Hong Kong – Spain in front of a loud and partisan crowd at Estadio Jose Zorrilla.
The Blitzboks found themselves 12-0 down before they had any meaningful time on the ball, and had no points on the board at the break.
But tries from Impi Visser and Jayden Nell, both converted by Ricardo Duarttee, saw them through to the last four.
Spain’s men had earlier followed in the footsteps of their female counterparts, making sure of a place in the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 14-12 win over Fiji.
George Bose scored a try in each half as a brilliant Fiji swept New Zealand aside. Bose’s double was augmented by touchdowns for Tomasi Vuluma, Terio Veilawa, Akuila Dranivotua and Nacani Boginisoko as they won 40-0 to set-up a semi-final against.
Play-offs: USA end Valladolid winless run and Germany do Uruguay double
Great Britain’s frustrating Valladolid weekend continued as they lost 21-26 to USA in golden-point extra-time in the ninth-place play-off semi-final.
Two matches at either end of the second day between Uruguay and Germany could not be more different. The first was one-way traffic. Makonnen Amekuedi scored three and Anton Gleitze two of Germany’s eight tries as they brushed aside the South Americans 52-0.
The second was a much tighter, momentum-shifting affair. But Amekuedi’s second hat-trick of the day against the same opposition settled it 22-17.
“I’m lost for words,” Germany’s hero told RugbyPass seconds after the final whistle. “We made it hard for ourselves, but in the end we just powered through, didn’t give up and won as a team.”