Vancouver SVNS: Argentina hold off BlitzBoks in Cup Final
Today at 01:01 AM
DAY THREE WRAP: Argentina defeated South Africa 19-12 to secure their fourth consecutive HSBC SVNS title at BC Place, while Spain take bronze with a win over Fiji
Argentina continued their love affair with Vancouver as they proved too strong for South Africa in the Final of the HSBC SVNS at BC Place.
The bull-like power of Luciano Gonzalez, named HSBC Player of the Final, helped him score two early tries, the second his 150th for Los Pumas.
Leading 12-0 at half-time and on a winning streak of 22 games in beautiful British Columbia, Argentina looked unbeatable and all the more so when Tobias Wade crossed over at the start of the second period.
Quewin Nortje's solo try down the left and a well-worked try finished by Siviwe Soyizwape suggested the tables were turning but South Africa could not muster more points and the final ended 19-12.
"I am very proud of my team," Argentina captain Santiago Mare said after the final whistle marked a fourth consecutive title on Canada's west coast. "I really like Vancouver and the stadium. We are very happy to play rugby here."
Third-place play-off
Australia maintained their 100% record against Japan to take the bronze medal, while Japan's fourth place was their best finish ever.
The underdogs took the lead when Hanako Utsumi picked up on the second phase of the attack after Chiaki Saegusa broke from her own 10m line but was caught by Kiiahla Duff yet still managed to keep the play moving.
Tia Hinds jinked through to make it 7-7 before Yukino Tsujisaki was sin-binned for knocking the ball down with her hand.
Faith Nathan used the numerical advantage to put the Australians 14-7 up at the break but Tsujisaki made up for her absence with a try once she re-entered the fray. Japan's valiant efforts fell short as the impressive Charlotte Caslick and Hinds went across for a 26-12 victory.
Semifinals
Fiji took to the pitch just after their men's team had lost their semi-final against South Africa. They faced a Japan outfit that had defeated them 19-14 in their pool contest but that was making their first semi-final appearance.
Fijiana got off to a flier, Adita Milinia running through the middle to score within 15 seconds. Ilisapeci Delaiwau ran from her own 10m line to cross over before Sesenieli Donu made it three converted tries by half-time.
Yukino Tsujisaki put the finishing touch to slick Japan interplay but, as the team wilted, Milinia's angled run in to the posts from the halfway line sealed a 28-7 win for Fiji and a place in the final.
A Stacey Waaka-inspired New Zealand team ensured they would be Fiji's opponents. It is the ninth time they have reached the final in Canada, this time the result of a convincing 29-10 win over Australia.
Waaka was first to score but Charlotte Caslick's linebreak meant Australia soon trailed by only two points. Scores by Michaela Brake and Jorja Miller extended the Black Ferns' lead to 19-5 by the break.
Teagan Levi was only just back on the pitch from a lower-leg injury when she goose-stepped, made some yards and offloaded to Faith Nathan for her sixth try of the event. Miller and Waaka's combinations have been a joyous feature of the Vancouver SVNS. They worked together again for Waaka's hat-trick ahead of Kelsey Tenet's final score.
Play-offs
Crystal Kaua's Brazil earned their best ever placing as they finished fifth by beating Great Britain 19-10.
Grace Crompton's pace helped her grab a brace for Britain, but even she was unable to catch the mesmerising Thalia Costa, her second try of the match taking her international tally to 111. Yasmin Soares provided Brazil's other try.
Canada won a pulsating seventh-place playoff against USA in no small part thanks to Asia Hogan-Rochester. Straight from kick-off she had the home fans on their feet when she collected the high ball, spliced the Americans and enjoyed the acclaim of the crowd throughout her lengthy sprint to the posts.
Florence Symonds scored a double, aided by Olivia Apps, to make it 17-0, before Hogan-Rochester somehow got back to prevent Ariana Ramsey scoring, though Ramsey got on the scoresheet either side of half-time.
Olivia Sarabura scored her first Canada try and Symonds rounded off a hat-trick for a 27-10 win.
"We've worked our entire careers for moments like these," said Hogan-Rochester afterwards.
France kept their focus to deal with a first-half China comeback and ease clear to clinch ninth place with a 26-12 result.
Wang Wanyu and Zhou Yan had overturned Alycia Christiaens' score but France steadied when Valentine Lothoz bulldozed her way through from halfway to establish a 14-12 lead.
Lou Noel showed good footwork to go over the line, and Hawa Tounkara was on hand to stretch over after a brave offload under intense pressure by Christiaens one metre out.
Two tries each for Marta Cantabrana and Maria Garcia eased Spain to 11th place in BC Place as they beat Ireland 28-5. Alana McInerney got on the scoresheet for the Irish.
Day Three results:
Men:
Cup Final:
Argentina 19-12 South Africa
Third-place play-off:
Spain 22-7 Fiji
Fifth-place play-off:
Great Britain 31-10 New Zealand
Seven-place play-off:
Australia 15-12 France
Cup semifinals:
Spain 0-7 Argentina
Fiji 10-12 South Africa
Ninth-place play-off:
USA 22-21 Uruguay
Eleventh-place ply-off:
Ireland 19-14 Kenya
Women:
Cup Final:
Fiji 7-41 New Zealand
Third-place play-off:
Japan 12-26 Australia
Fifth-place play-off:
Great Britain 10-19 Brazil
Seventh-place play-off:
Canada 27-10 USA
Cup semifinals:
Australia 10-29 New Zealand
Japan 7-28 Fiji
Ninth-place play-off:
France 26-12 China
Eleventh-place play-off:
Spain 28-5 Ireland
