Blitzboks bounce back in Toulouse with big win over Fiji

The Blitzboks had started the tournament with a disappointing 31-7 loss to France earlier in the day but returned in the evening and showed their mettle to stay alive in the tournament.

As the rain came down hard over Toulouse, the South Africans kept their composure and led 12-0 at the break, before delivering another impressive performance in the second-half to outscore the Islanders by four tries to one.

The Blitzboks showed all the intent in the world on defence, mowing down anything that moved in white, and their defensive determination clearly rattled Fiji, who could not get their offload game going.

The South Africans were clinical in everything they did and they kept the Fijians under enormous pressure. Fiji did themselves no favours by conceding silly penalties under pressure and two yellow cards in the opening half cost them dearly.

First, Dewald Human scored the opening try of the match two minutes in, after the first yellow card to Fiji. South Africa opted for a scrum, attacked to the right and when Fiji were pinged again for offside, a quick tap by Ronald Brown saw Human slide over.

Human, back in the squad after a five-month lay-off, was at it again soon after. Fiji were just back to seven players when a slap down by a defender gave the Blitzboks the numerical advantage again.

The playmaker cross-kicked to Shaun Williams who popped the ball to a charging Mfundo Ndhlovu to score in the corner. Human added the sideline conversion to give his side a 12-0 lead at the break.

Fiji scored first in the second half, attacking from deep and keeping the ball alive through numerous phases and in the end, South Africa just ran out of defenders.

The converted try cut the lead to five points, but it was back to 12 again after a gem of a try by Shilton van Wyk. The wing was boxed in on the touchline, kicked ahead and when Jerry Tuwai, the Fijian sweeper, failed to control the ball, Van Wyk pounced.

The conversion hit the upright, but at 17-7 the Blitzboks had all the momentum.

They played the clock to a tee with excellent game management by Justin Geduld and from a decisive play, Ricardo Duarttee broke wide from a scrum to score. Geduld converted for his first points in 15 months and the win moved the Blitzboks into second place in the pool, behind France.

On Saturday, the Blitzboks take on the Americans at 13h49 at the Stade Ernest-Wallon, where they will need to secure a victory to march on the Championship quarter-finals.