It was not what the Blitzboks had come to Brazil for, but they still managed to pick themselves up to thrash Japan and clinch a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics on Thursday.
With the weight of the semi-final pressure off their shoulders, the South Africans displayed all the skills and speed in their game that had disappeared against Great Britain earlier in the evening to win 54-14 against the hapless Japanese.
It secured Team South Africa their fourth medal at the Rio Olympics, with three silvers won in swimming (Cameron van der Burgh and Chad le Clos) and rowing (Lawrence Brittain and Shaun Keeling).
Whereas the Springbok Sevens panicked under the onslaught of Team GB’s rush defence in the semi-final, they regained the flair and spark in their game to run Japan to shreds in the second half at the Deodoro Stadium.
The South Africans played with much greater purpose and direction in the third-place playoff, running hard at the defence and offloading confidently in the tackle, which saw them run into an early 14-0 lead through tries by Juan de Jongh and Rosko Specman.
But it wasn’t all plain sailing as the Asian team got back into the clash at 21-14 after Kazuhiro Goya slipped past a few flimsy Blitzbok tackles, and it would’ve been a nervous few minutes to go for South African coach Neil Powell.
But star playmaker Cecil Afrika scored a quick double – the first ignited by the quick feet of Cheslin Kolbe, who evaded a few tackles inside his 22 to create momentum out of nothing.
That put Team SA well in control at 35-14, and Justin Geduld, Specman – with a hat trick – and Kolbe put the finishing touches to a convincing performance and a well-deserved bronze medal.
Coach Powell and captain Kyle Brown, who was again immense against Japan, will sit long into the night in Rio and wonder about what could have been had they played at their best against Great Britain.
South Africa were arguably the most well-rounded squad in Rio, but the decision to pick Dylan Sage in the backline ahead of Cheslin Kolbe when the injured Seabelo Senatla was ruled out of the semi-final will be one of those decisions to ponder on as they lacked the pace to finish off a number of try-scoring chances.
The Blitzboks were the only genuine challengers to perennial favourites Fiji, who destroyed Great Britain 43-7 in the final to clinch the island nation’s first ever Olympic medal since their first Games in 1956.
POINTS-SCORERS
South Africa (54) – Tries: Juan de Jongh, Rosko Specman (3), Cecil Afrika (2), Justin Geduld, Cheslin Kolbe. Conversions: Cecil Afrika (6), Justin Geduld.
Japan (14) – Tries: Yusaku Kuwazuru, Kazuhiro Goya. Conversions: Kazuhiro Goya (2).