Mixed bag for Springbok Women's Sevens on day two in Hong Kong

The Springbok Women's Sevens team finished their Pool B fixtures on a strong note in Hong Kong on Saturday, beating Great Britain, one of the core teams in the HSBC SVNS Series, by 19-5 at Kai Tak Sports Park, which saw them finish third in their pool but they missed out on a potential quarter-final berth to Spain, who had a better points difference over the two days.

The South Africans then faced Great Britain again in the ninth-place semi-final later on Saturday but this time the Bok Women lost by 19-14.

The big difference in this result was an early first half red card against Lerato Makua, resulting in the South Africans playing with six players for 10 minutes.

At that stage, Great Britain had a 7-0 lead but credit to Cecil Afrika's troops who refused to lie down. They crept back into the game with two well-worked tries by Shanidiné Bezuidenhout and Maria Tshiremba.

Trailing 14-19, Ayanda Malinga was held up over the line in what could have been the match winner, only to be denied and Great Britain could escape a second defeat against South Africa.

Earlier in the day, a Tshiremba double paved the way for a famous win. Great Britain scored first for a 5-0 lead but the Bok Women started to hit their straps.

Tshiremba scorched away from 60m out for her first, before lovely interplay with Eloise Webb resulted in her second. Makua then galloped clear to seal the match.

With Makua suspended and Asisipho Plaatjies ruled out due to injury, it will be a depleted squad to take on Argentina at 4.46am (SA time) on Sunday for 11th place but they will understand every log point will be crucial heading into the final two World Championship tournaments, in Spain and France.

Scores

Pool match: South Africa 19 (7), Great Britain 5 (5)

SA – Tries: Maria Tshiremba (2), Lerato Makua. Conversions: Byrhandré Dolf (2).

GB – Try: Katie Shillaker.

Ninth-place semi-final: South Africa 14 (7), Great Britain 19 (14)

SA – Tries: Shanidiné Bezuidenhout, Maria Tshiremba. Conversions: Byrhandré Dolf (2).

GB – Tries: Ellen Scantlebury, Reneeqa Bonner (2). Conversions: Abbie Brown (2).