Day 2 at the Dubai SVNS turned out to be an inspiring outing for the Springbok Women’s Sevens team, picking up their first win of the HSBC SVNS Series at The Sevens Stadium which runs from 2-3 December 2023. Photo: Women Boks on X

Day 2 at the Dubai Sevens turned out to be a better outing for the Springbok Women’s Sevens team, securing a significant 17-0 victory over Spain in the first match of the day at The Sevens Stadium, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on Sunday, 3 December, 2023. 

South Africa had a strong start to the game, which saw Nadine Roos score two tries to pile on the pressure. Rights Mkhari also got over the try-line, to see the Bok Women to an important win. One thing that would have pleased coach Renfred Dazel, was they way his team worked as a unit, backing each other up in the win.

South Africa unfortunately went down to Japan in their final match of the tournament, succumbing to a 12-5 loss. Mkhari scored her second try of the day but, the South Africans weren’t able to get more points on the board. The result leaves them 12th on the overall World Sevens Series standings. 

Significantly, Sunday’s win will give the Bok Women good confidence ahead of their home leg in Cape Town this coming weekend, where the team will hope to impress fans in the Mother City from 9-10 December 2023. 

Co-captain, Mathrin Simmers speaking after the game on sarugby.co.za, said they took huge strides in the tournament. “We are a happy group, with regards to that,” she said.

“We wanted to make sure we do well, as that would give us some confidence and comfort that we indeed belong in this elite competition. We now feel much better about that and are looking towards the future with confidence.”

Springbok Women’s Sevens Co-Captain, Mathrin Simmers

Simmers also added that the team has learned some good lessons in the past two days. 

“Our game management is not what it can be, we lacked a bit there, but that will grow with experience gained,” Simmers continued. “We can have a look back at the positives and where we came up short, and how to rectify that. Overall, it was a good tournament for us, I feel.”

At the close of the day, the tournament’s top talent New Zealand and Australia were set up to battle it out for the women’s title, and with both teams yet to lose a match in the tournament, a win in the final game was paramount from each side’s perspective. 

And the match was everything a final should be! It was action-packed from the start, as the Aussies took the lead in the first minute, then the Black Ferns hit back as Jorja Miller crossed the whitewash on two occasions. It was then Teagan Levi to score two quick tries to put Australia in front again, but Miller kept her team’s hope alive as she scored her third try. Teagan Levi was backed up by her sister Maddison, who got the winning try to secure the 26-19 win and the title for the Black Ferns.

World Rugby’s HSBC Dubai SVNS Results at The Sevens Stadium on Sunday, 3 December, 2023

NZL 26 -14 BRA
IRE 12- 14 CAN
FRA  38-14 FIJ
USA 5-32 AUS
GBR 0-21 JPN
RSA 17-0 ESP
USA 38-7 BRA
IRE 19 -24 FIJ
GBR 26-12 ESP
JPN 12-5 RSA
CAN 5-26 FRA

Semi-Finals

NZL 21-19 CAN
FRA  14-21 AUS

Final 

NZL 26-19 AUS 


Photo caption: Day 2 at the Dubai SVNS turned out to be an inspiring outing for the Springbok Women’s Sevens team, picking up their first win of the HSBC SVNS Series at The Sevens Stadium which runs from 2-3 December 2023. Photo: Women Boks on X

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