By Roger Harrison
The opening event of the world series of rugby sevens, the Dubai Sevens invariably invites speculation about who will be the season’s favourite to win. Fiji, with the ultimate high of the winning the first ever rugby sevens Olympic Gold were strong favourites for this season.
However, the loss in September of their inspirational British coach Ben Ryan must have been a severe blow to the team’s morale. Their first day performance against Canada seemed to confirm the suspicion. Eight seconds from the final whistle and the scores were even at 19 all.
There is one sure way to un-nerve a Fijian sevens player – keep possession away from him. Throughout the match, Canada did precisely that and coupled that with ferocious tackling and some very spectacular running.
Close to time, it was clear to all that Fiji were labouring to get back into the game and some almost short-tempered techniques crept into the game, including a decidedly cavalier attempt to hand-swipe the ball out of the grip of a charging Canadian.
However, almost inevitably, a few second from time, a snappy intercept near the Canadian goal saw Fiji over for a 26-19 win.
Their second win of the day was over Argentina –an even closer margin of just 22-19.
Their next outing against France saw a team transformed. France had already lost 28-0 to Australia. Someone had communicated a few home truths to the team and they roared out of the blocks to a 45-0 hammering of France, who on their day can compete with the best. Day 2 of the international competition was not their day; a final defeat of 15-27 by Scotland saw the French team with an unhappy start to the year.
This superb effort when their ‘bête noir’, the South Africa seven returned a savage 40-0 defeat of New Zealand, that saw a run-on by DJ Forbes, now the elder statesman of the All Blacks. Even the psychological boost he was intended to offer failed, and the All Blacks looked frail in the face of their nemesis.
It was only three years since they had been roundly trounced by Fiji on the same ground by 44-0, the All Blacks biggest defeat in their history.
At this point, the approaching final took on an air of the inevitable; South Africa against Fiji. The South African had never looked like losing anything at all, with a 46-0 defeat of Uganda, 21-5 against a lively Scotland and a very creditable effort indeed from USA who held them to a nail biting 19-17.
On the way to the final, Fiji had to dispose of England, which it did with some difficulty, especially when both De Carpentier and Rodwell – the two bulldozers of the English team returned Fiji’s famous physical approach with interest.
However, the 31-12 win by Fiji indicated a return to form from Day 1, and with South Africa warming up with a last pre-final win over Wales of 36-5, the stage was set for something special.
In the event, two features stood out with the final. The first, which passed without either comment or explanation so far is that, against all the standard rules and conventions that the final match of a sevens tournament should last ten minutes each half, lasted just seven. Although this reporter informed match officials that the scoreboard was indicated seven minutes per half, no explanation at the time of writing has been forthcoming. Unusual to say the least.
The second feature was that the South Africans seemed to be playing with ten men – they were everywhere, thwarting Fijis moves, tackling with inhuman accuracy and effect denying Fiji possession.
And that discomposes Fijians. A lot.
Cecil Afrika and Seabelo Senatla delivered much of the discomposure process. At just 82 kg, Senatla is not a big man by rugby standards. If not already, he will be regarded as the finest sevens rugby player in the world, entering the Dubai Sevens with a record of 157 tries in 144 matches.
Love or hate the “Blitzbokke”, Senatla’s incredible athleticism, deadly tackling power and quite extraordinary acceleration and speed is eye watering. When teamed up with Afrika, they are, as Fiji discovered, unstoppable and it resulted in tournament final a 26-14 win over 2016 Dubai champions Fiji.
Senatla, man of the tournament without a doubt.
Will Fiji turn the tables in the next tournament in Cape Town during December 10 and 11? If crowd support and the fact that the Blitzbokke are on home turf, it is unlikely.
It will however, be riveting viewing.
