The South African U17 Sevens team clinched the silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, on Monday, after winning their semi-final against Argentina before going down to France in the gold medal match.
The SA U17s had their backs to the wall in both games, and although they beat Argentina 24-12, a second-half brace by Jake Dave was not enough to overcome the French in the final, with the European side winning 26-19.
The South Africans had to fight back from 0-12 down in their semi-final against Argentina, and scored four tries without answer in their 24-12 win.
Darnell Delport‘s try late in the first half made it 5-12 at the break, but in the second half, Kingsley Pule scored before a brace by Rosco Williams, both converted by Jake Dave, gave the SA U17s the win they needed to progress to the final.
France had little trouble in making it to the gold medal match and dispatched Canada 58-0 in a one-sided semi-final.
In the final, France opened the scoring with a converted try in the second minute, but Delport hit back a minute later to make it 5-7.
However, the French added two more converted tries to take a 21-5 lead into the break.
Dave scored a try off the back of some strong play by the South Africans with two minutes to go, and he added the conversion to make it 12-21.
From the restart, one of the SA players had to leave the field with an injury after a heavy collision, and from the ensuing scrum, Dave again ghosted through the French defence for another converted try, to make it 19-21 with a minute to go.
A mistake from the restart cost South Africa, however, and France scored on the hooter to secure the gold despite a strong fightback by the South Africans.
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
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