The Australian Men's Sevens team is eager to conclude their campaign in Perth on a high note following a tough semi-final loss to South Africa. The Blitzboks secured their place in the championship match with a decisive 28-12 victory over the home team, thus preventing Australia from reaching their third consecutive final at this venue.
Fans can catch every match of the ongoing Perth SVNS live and on-demand exclusively on Stan Sport. (https://www.stan.com.au/watch/sport/rugby)
Next up for Australia is a clash for the bronze medal against New Zealand, who suffered a significant defeat at the hands of Fiji in the other semi-final.
The game was tightly contested until just after halftime when Ben Dowling scored, narrowing the gap to 14-12 after captain Henry Hutchison had also crossed the line in the first half. Yet, a critical moment came when Aden Ekanayake received a yellow card for an aerial challenge, which shifted the momentum in favor of South Africa.
With the extra space available, South Africa capitalized as Sebastiaan Jobb scored his second try, extending their lead. Ricardo Duarttee then cemented the victory for the Blitzboks with a try two minutes before the final whistle.
Reflecting on the game, Ekanayake remarked, "It was just small moments where we let the game slip away. After halftime, my yellow card put additional pressure on our team, but we were still close enough to rally back and fight for a comeback."
Now, Australia must gear up to face their rivals from across the Tasman Sea, who were overwhelmed by Fiji, losing 35-0 following a red card issued to Akuila Rokolisoa early in the match due to a dangerous tackle. This early setback allowed Fiji to dominate the game comfortably.
Captain Hutchison motivated his teammates in a passionate huddle post-match, emphasizing the importance of moving forward with resilience as they prepare to take on the Kiwis. "The beauty of sevens is the chance to quickly correct the mistakes made in the previous game," Ekanayake shared about Hutchison's message.
"With five matches to play over a single weekend, bouncing back and maintaining consistency is crucial to remain competitive. We need to let go of this match, learn from it, and then rise to the challenge of the bronze medal match, aiming to bring home some hardware. Our goal is certainly to finish in the top three, especially as we build towards the Olympics. Achieving a podium finish would be a great accomplishment and a chance to outdo the Kiwis while securing a bronze medal for our efforts."
During the pool stages, Australia faced New Zealand, but any thoughts of psychological advantage from that encounter have been set aside following yesterday's outcomes. Ekanayake noted, "We’ll take some insights from our previous match, but we know they will come out strong. They’re a talented side, so it’s essential that we regroup and make sure we are ready to perform at our best."
Final score: South Africa 28 defeated Australia 12 (Tries: Hutchison, Dowling; Conversions: Dowling)
