The Springbok Women’s Sevens team won the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup by beating Kenya 22-0 in the final, completing a remarkable performance where they did not concede any points during the tournament.
After steamrolling Ghana 48-0 and Madagascar 29-0 in the quarter- and semi-finals earlier on Sunday, the SA side had good momentum going into the final against Kenya, who outplayed Uganda for the finals berth.
The victory also confirmed that the Bok Women qualified for the eight-team Division Three competition that will be staged as a standalone Challenger event in Dubai in January.
The first half of the final was a tight affair. Kenya started well and the South Africans were penalised at the breakdown often, but their tactics of quick tap penalties did not bear any fruit.
Instead, it was South Africa who struck first when Shiniqwa Lamprecht saw a gap from set piece, stepped inside some players and raced to the line to score five minutes in. Nadine Roos converted and at the break, the lead was 7-0.
The next try, from the restart of the second half, sealed the deal. In long, flowing movements, the Bok Women took the ball through numerous phases before Simamkele Namba was the recipient of the final pass and the lead jumped to 12-0.
Not to be outdone by her fellow backs, wing Patience Mokone then finished in style, stepping her opponent on the inside after a flowing backline move that silenced the crowd as they realised their Lionesses were tamed by the South Africans.
Nadine Roos drove the final nail in the coffin following a quick tap from a penalty, extending the winning margin to 22 points.
