Watch: The Winning Kick That Ended Fiji’s Cape Town Title Dreams
Enahemo Artaud dashed Fiji’s hopes on Sunday afternoon with a clutch sideline conversion, giving France a thrilling 19-17 victory in the SVNS Cape Town semi-finals. Fiji, aiming to replicate their Dubai Sevens success, was instead relegated to the third-place playoff.
Earlier this season, France and Fiji faced off in a nail-biting quarter-final in Dubai, where Fiji claimed victory with a last-minute runaway try. The Cape Town encounter mirrored that intensity, but this time, France staged a dramatic comeback to snatch the win. Simon Desert was a standout for France, yet it was a young player who delivered the game’s pivotal moment.
Catch all the HSBC SVNS Series action live on RugbyPass TV by signing up here.
Fiji had looked formidable in the pool stages, opening their campaign with a commanding 70-7 victory over Uruguay and a narrow win over Great Britain. These results secured their semi-final berth under the tournament’s new format, which rewarded pool leaders with direct entry into the final four. France, on the other hand, advanced after victories over the USA and New Zealand.
This set the stage for a captivating semi-final showdown.
First-half tries by Celian Pouzelgues and Liam Delamare gave France an early edge, but George Bose ensured Fiji remained in the contest before halftime. Ikikimi Vunaki’s ninth-minute try leveled the game, making it anyone’s to claim in the closing moments.
Iowane Teba seemed to seal the deal for Fiji with a try in the 13th minute, but France refused to back down. Desert’s long-range try brought the game back to parity at 17-17, leaving everything to play for with time expired.
In only his second SVNS Series event, Artaud stepped up to take the decisive kick from the left touchline. With the crowd at DHL Stadium holding its breath, his flawless conversion sailed between the posts, propelling France into the final.
“The job’s not done yet,” William Iraguha commented on RugbyPass TV after the semi-final. France’s determination echoes their run to last season’s SVNS Series title, as they continue their pursuit of global sevens dominance.
Meanwhile, Fiji faced Spain in the bronze medal match. Spain, who had pushed hosts South Africa to the limit, started strong with an Eduardo Lopez try in the fifth minute, followed by Alejandro Laforga adding another score.
Zain Davids ignited South Africa’s comeback with a stunning try just before halftime, narrowing Spain’s lead to seven points. The second half belonged to the Blitzboks, with Shilton van Wyk and Tristan Leyds scoring pivotal tries to secure a 19-12 victory. Spain, after reaching their first-ever Cup Final in Dubai, came close to repeating the feat in Cape Town.