Details that make the difference. In the finale there were several of these actions that decide the fate and the outcome. The Pumas 7s were in Cape Town, they had a good chance of becoming champions, but got away in the end with an attempt by Christie Grobbelaar. The local took advantage of this experience and his replacement helped win his second consecutive title in South Africa.
The Argentine illusion faded in a few minutes and sequences that led to a painful defeat. The Pumas 7s even took the lead with 19:7, but in the home straight they ran out of gas and gave up their defense. The superhuman performance of the main characters, who had logged many minutes over the two days of competition, was felt in a lively, intense final with a euphoric South African crowd at the best moment in the country’s rugby history: They are current two-time World Champions, two-time Rugby Championship Champions, Youth Champions and World Sevens Circuit Champions. This Sunday they were crowned in their territory for the second time in a row.
The difference in the hierarchy in the squad ultimately made the difference. In a course that is becoming increasingly demanding from a sporting perspective, quantity took precedence over quality. Because the Pumas 7 had outstanding individual players, but they lacked replacements. And it makes sense: on this first tour of the season they introduced six debutants after several heavyweights in the squad left. South Africa, on the other hand, was the only country without new faces whose base was functioning after the bronze medal in Paris 2024. The Blitzboks are the most experienced team at this start and they made it clear. The home team did not burden them, but rather gave them the strength to win the crown again.
In Cape Town, Luciano González Rizzoni completed one of his best individual productions since his debut on the circuit in the 2016/17 season. With so many substitutions, the team took it upon themselves and their teammates took advantage of it in the best way, with shots designed to make the difference at the top. He wildly scattered his rivals and few could stop him. He scored eight tries, played more minutes than usual and ended up suffering from pain and a limp after a remarkable piece of work. With sheer strength, he opened the final with a try, also broke the lead line and assisted Marco Moneta in the second round.
But the Pumas 7s made mistakes that cost them dearly. In the middle of the attack, in the last meters of the opposition, Santiago Mare threw a pass into contact that ended up in the hands of an opponent and a counterattack began that ended in the first local try. An exaggerated line from Pedro De Haro, a reception error from Santiago Álvarez Fourcade, three penalties… several negative actions that kept the Blitzboks in the game. The momentum from González Rizzoni and a monumental run from Moneta kept the Pumas’ 7s alive, although Rayo also made a mistake and lost one of the final possessions. The ball was taken away in the middle of the field and the team became unbalanced.
Christie Grobbelaar’s try and Ricardo Duarttee’s conversion marked the decisive advantage. The Pumas 7s still had a ball, but Álvarez Fourcade received no conserving support, no teammate took action after the tackle and Duarttee recovered it with both hands on the ground, which the referee did not notice.
However, Argentina left positive signals after the setback in Dubai. I needed this reaction, it is part of the spirit of the Pumas 7s, a team that stands out for its competitiveness. If Santiago Gómez Cora has anything left, it is the capacity and time to build. After the departures of Matías Osadczuk, Germán Shulz, Agustín Fraga, Tobías Wade, Alejo Lavayén and Tomás Elizalde, who made the decision to leave the discipline from one season to the next, the change was not gradual. The coach chose young players who are thinking about Los Angeles 2028. The one that became the most established was Pedro De Haroexactly the one who entered in the last stage and had a lot of minutes due to the injuries to Joaquín Pellandini and Lautaro Bazán Vélez. Even though he provided specific information about the position that needed to be polished, he was up to the task.
Although it is not one of the new ones, Santiago Vera Feld took a step forward in terms of consolidation in the team, with greater prominence, a strong defense and coverage of multiple positions. Gómez Cora has to find solutions and he has time; There are still four regular season tournaments to be completed before the three final rounds in which the season champion is determined. The absurd format gives you room for corrections over time.
The SVSN will not resume until January 31 in Singapore. Before that, the Pumas 7s will have their classic concentration in Pinamar to plan for 2026.
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