Late heartbreak for Blitzboks as Aussies clinch dramatic Perth Sevens semi

There was late heartbreak for the Blitzboks in a dramatic end to their HSBC SVNS Perth Cup semifinal against the hosts on Sunday morning, who scored a try in extra time with SA down to six players.

The teams had been evenly matched throughout, with two Selvyn Davids tries giving the Blitzboks a 12-7 edge going into the final three minutes of the contest. But it seemed that all the drama at the HBF Stadium was reserved for a frantic final few minutes of regulation time that were not without controversy ... and a cliffhanger in extra time.

The Aussies scored a dramatic try to level the score at 12-12 with just over a minute to go to the hooter, but there seemed to have been a knock-on in the build-up. The try stood, however, and the Aussies suddenly found themselves in the position to win the match. The conversion hit the upright, much to the relief of South Africa fans, and the contest went into extra time, where the first score wins.

The Australians started the extra period the brighter of the two and were unlucky not score from the kick-off. The warning signs were there for the Blitzboks, who conceded a number of penalties in quick succession.

But the final straw that broke SA backs was the yellow card to Ryan Oosthuizen in the 16th minute. The Blitzboks tackled manfully but the Aussies stayed patient and Aden Ekanayake eventually broke the Blitzboks defensive line ‒and South African hearts ‒ to seal the 17-12 win.

The Australians were set to meet defending champions Argentina in the Cup final.