CAPE TOWN - The Blitzboks had just survived an almighty onslaught from hosts USA in the semi-finals of the Las Vegas Sevens.
The Americans were 12-0 up early in the game, and it looked like the partisan crowd at the Sam Boyd Stadium were going to inspire their team to victory and knock out one of the big guns of the World Series.
The South Africans managed to hit back and hold off the hosts with a critical steal at the end to win 20-17 and go through to their sixth consecutive tournament final on Sunday.
But lying in wait were the mighty Fijians – Olympic champions, multiple World Series winners and conquerors of a resurgent New Zealand in the other semi.
The major difference between the two teams was that Fiji had most of their heavy hitters available in Jerry Tuwai, captain Osea Kolinisau, Vatemo Ravouvou, Samisoni Viriviri and Masivesi Dakuwaqa.
They were only really missing Jasa Veremalua, who stayed at home for the birth of his first child.
In contrast, the Blitzboks didn’t have World Player of the Year Seabelo Senatla, former captain Kyle Brown and Kwagga Smith, while they lost playmaker Justin Geduld on day two in Las Vegas due to an ankle injury.
Relatively inexperienced trio Dylan Sage, Ruhan Nel and Siviwe Soyizwapi had to front up, while rookies such as Zain Davids and Stedman Gans were on the bench.
There was no way Neil Powell’s team should’ve pulled off a victory. And they had the worst possible start when Nel lost the ball five metres out, and Fiji scored through Dakuwaqa.
But enter Rosko Specman. With just over two minutes left in the first half, the dreadlocked magician sparked the comeback when he drew the defence and threw a long pass in looking for Chris Dry.
The strong wind blew the ball way off course – about 10 metres forward, but the ball was initially passed back out of the hands – and it bounced into the hands of Soyizwapi, who put Cecil Afrika away.
Specman again made things happen for the second try by Dry, as he suddenly broke the line out of nothing around a ruck and still had the presence of mind to offload to Dry in the tackle.
Then came the triple whammy – the moment of the match. Specman received the ball about 10 metres outside the Blitzbok 22, with two Fijian defenders in front of him. But that was no problem.
He left Nemani Nagusa for dead with an audacious inside step, and then skinned the legendary Tuwai with a burst of pace and at an angle that would’ve made Bryan Habana proud.
Specman was wearing the No 11 jersey that Senatla had made famous in sevens and Habana in the 15-man code for the Boks, and the latter took to Twitter to make mention of it.
“You little beauty!!! That no11 jersey still working its magic hey @Seabelo_Senatla”
Senatla responded with a “Strong!!!”, while Specman also brought up the subject after the final.
Strong!!! https://t.co/rjwDyjiqyb
— Seabelo Senatla (@Seabelo_Senatla) March 6, 2017
“It feels fantastic to win, but the team is doing the hard work,” Specman said. “I think maybe it’s lucky number 11. I am wearing the shirt from Seabelo, maybe it is giving me that little bit of extra speed!”
Whatever Specman touched turned to gold for the Blitzboks. Not only does he possess out-and-out pace, it is his side-stepping skills, quick feet and anticipation that makes him such a difficult player to mark.
The dynamic 27-year-old from Grahamstown has it all, and showed that there is life after Senatla for the Blitzboks.
@ashfakmohamed